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Magic: The Gathering Comprehensive Rules
These rules are current as of October 1, 2007.
Introduction
This booklet is designed for people who’ve moved beyond the basics of the Magic: The Gathering®
game. If you’re a beginning Magic™ player, you’ll probably find these rules intimidating. They’re
intended to be the ultimate authority for the game, and you won’t usually need to refer to them except in
specific cases or during competitive games.
For casual play and most ordinary situations, you’ll find what you need in the Magic: The Gathering basic
rulebook. You can download a copy of that rulebook from the Wizards of the Coast® Magic rules website
at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/rules. If you’re sure this is where you want to be, keep
reading.
This document includes a series of numbered rules followed by a glossary. Many of the numbered rules are
divided into subrules, and each separate rule and subrule of the game has its own number. The glossary
defines many of the words and phrases used in these rules, along with a few concepts that don’t really fit
anywhere among the numbered rules. So if you can’t find what you’re looking for, check the glossary.
We at Wizards of the Coast recognize that no matter how detailed the rules, situations will arise in which
the interaction of specific cards requires a precise answer. If you have questions, you can get the answers
from us at www.wizards.com/customerservice. Additional contact information is on the last page of these
rules.
In response to play issues and to keep these rules as current as possible, changes may have been made
to this document since its publication. See the Wizards of the Coast website for the current version of
the official rules.
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/rules
Contents
1. The Game
100. General
101. Starting the Game
102. Winning and Losing
103. The Magic Golden Rules
104. Numbers and Symbols
2. Parts of the Game
200. General
201. Characteristics
202. Name
203. Mana Cost and Color
204. Illustration
205. Type Line
206. Expansion Symbol
207. Text Box
208. Power/Toughness
209. Loyalty
210. Information Below the Text Box
212. Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype
213. Spells
214. Permanents
215. Life
216. Tokens
217. Zones
3. Turn Structure
300. General
301. Beginning Phase
302. Untap Step
303. Upkeep Step
304. Draw Step
305. Main Phase
306. Combat Phase
307. Beginning of Combat Step
308. Declare Attackers Step
309. Declare Blockers Step
310. Combat Damage Step
311. End of Combat Step
312. End Phase
313. End of Turn Step
314. Cleanup Step
4. Spells, Abilities, and Effects
400. General
401. Spells on the Stack
402. Abilities
403. Activated Abilities
404. Triggered Abilities
405. Static Abilities
406. Mana Abilities
407. Adding and Removing Abilities
408. Timing of Spells and Abilities
409. Playing Spells and Activated Abilities
410. Handling Triggered Abilities
411. Playing Mana Abilities
412. Handling Static Abilities
413. Resolving Spells and Abilities
414. Countering Spells and Abilities
415. Targeted Spells and Abilities
416. Effects
417. One-Shot Effects
418. Continuous Effects
419. Replacement and Prevention Effects
420. State-Based Effects
421. Handling “Infinite” Loops
422. Handling Illegal Actions
423. Drawing a Card
424. Costs
5. Additional Rules
500. Legal Attacks and Blocks
501. Keyword Actions
502. Keyword Abilities
503. Copying Objects
504. Face-Down Spells and Permanents
505. Split Cards
506. Subgames
507. Controlling Another Player’s Turn
508. Flip Cards
509. Ending the Turn
510. Status
511. Flipping a Coin
6. Multiplayer Rules
600. General
601. Limited Range of Influence Option
602. Attack Multiple Players Option
603. Deploy Creatures Option
604. Attack Left and Attack Right Options
605. Free-for-All Variant
606. Two-Headed Giant Variant
607. Emperor Variant
608. Grand Melee Variant
609. Teams Variant
Glossary
Credits
Questions?
1. The Game
100. General
100.1. These Magic rules apply to any Magic game with two or more players, including two-player
games and multiplayer games.
100.1a A two-player game is a game that begins with only two players.
100.1b A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. See section 6,
“Multiplayer Rules.”
100.2. In constructed play, each player needs his or her own deck of at least sixty cards, small items to
represent any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals. A constructed deck can
have any number of basic land cards and no more than four of any card with a particular English
name other than basic land cards.
100.3. For sealed deck or draft play, only forty cards are required in a deck, and a player may use as
many duplicates of a card as he or she has. Each player still needs small items to represent any
tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals.
100.4. There is no maximum deck size.
100.5. Most Magic tournaments have special rules (not included here) and may limit the use of some
cards, including barring all cards from some older sets. See the most current Magic: The
Gathering DCI® Floor Rules for more information. They can be found at
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.
101. Starting the Game
101.1. At the start of a game, each player shuffles his or her deck so that the cards are in a random
order. Each player may then shuffle his or her opponents’ decks. The players’ decks become their
libraries.
101.2. After the decks have been shuffled, the players determine who chooses which player goes first
using any mutually agreeable method (flipping a coin, rolling dice, etc.). In a match of several
games, the loser of the previous game decides who will take the first turn. If the previous game was
a draw, the person who determined who would take the first turn in the previous game decides.
101.3. Once the starting player has been determined, each player sets his or her life total to 20 and
draws a hand of seven cards.
101.3a In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team starts with a shared life total of 30 instead.
101.4. A player who is dissatisfied with his or her initial hand may mulligan. First, the starting player
takes any mulligans. To take a mulligan, that player shuffles his or her hand back into the deck and
then draws a new hand of six cards. He or she may repeat this process as many times as desired,
drawing one fewer card each time, until the hand size reaches zero cards. Once the starting player
has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. Then each other player (in
turn order) may take any number of mulligans. A player can’t take any mulligans once he or she has
decided to keep an opening hand.
101.4a In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand
of seven cards rather than six cards. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.
101.4b The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the multiplayer mulligan rule, with some modifications.
First, the starting team takes any mulligans. For a team to take a mulligan, each player on that
team decides whether or not to take a mulligan, then all players who chose to do so take their
mulligans at the same time. The first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand
of seven cards. After each player on that team who took a mulligan looks at his or her new hand,
the team repeats the process. (Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal.) Once a player
has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. That player can’t take
any more mulligans, but his or her teammate may. Once each player on the starting team
decides to keep an opening hand, the other team may take mulligans.
Example: Bob and Clare are the starting team in a Two-Headed Giant game. They each
draw seven cards. After reviewing each other’s hands, both Bob and Clare decide to
mulligan. Each shuffles his or her hand into his or her deck and draws seven cards.
Clare isn’t sure about Bob’s new hand, but he decides to keep it. Clare decides to take
another mulligan. Bob’s hand becomes his opening hand, and Clare shuffles her hand
into her deck and draws six cards. Then only Clare has the option to mulligan. She
decides to keep her hand of six cards and that becomes her opening hand. After that, the
other team decides whether to take mulligans.
101.5. Once all players have kept their opening hands, if any cards in the starting player’s hand allow
that player to begin the game with those cards in play, he or she may put any or all of them into
play. Then each other player, in turn order, may do the same.
101.6. The starting player takes his or her first turn.
101.6a In a two-player game, the player who plays first skips the draw step (see rule 304, “Draw
Step”) of his or her first turn.
101.6b In a Two-Headed Giant game, the team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn.
In all other multiplayer games, no player skips the draw step of his or her first turn.
102. Winning and Losing
102.1. A game ends immediately when either a player wins or the game is a draw.
102.2. There are several ways to win the game.
102.2a A player still in the game wins the game if all of that player’s opponents have lost the game.
102.2b An effect may state that a player wins the game. (In certain multiplayer games, this may not
cause the game to end; see rule 102.3g.)
102.2c In a multiplayer game between teams, a team with at least one player still in the game wins
the game if all other teams have lost the game. Each player on the winning team wins the game,
even if one or more of those players had previously lost that game.
102.3. There are several ways to lose the game.
102.3a A player can concede the game at any time. A player who concedes loses the game
immediately.
102.3b If a player’s life total is 0 or less, he or she loses the game the next time a player would
receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
102.3c When a player is required to draw more cards than are left in his or her library, he or she
draws the remaining cards, and then loses the game the next time a player would receive
priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
102.3d If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game the next time a player
would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
102.3e If a player would both win and lose simultaneously, he or she loses.
102.3f In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game if all players on that team have
lost.
102.3g In a multiplayer game using the limited range of influence option, an effect that states that a
player wins the game instead causes all of that player’s opponents within his or her range of
influence to lose the game.
102.4. There are several ways to draw the game.
102.4a If all the players remaining in a game lose simultaneously, the game is a draw.
102.4b If the game somehow enters a “loop,” repeating a sequence of events with no way to stop,
the game is a draw. Loops that contain an optional action don’t result in a draw.
102.4c In a multiplayer game between teams, the game is a draw if all remaining teams lose at once.
102.5. If a player loses the game, he or she leaves the game. Likewise, if a player leaves the game, he or
she loses the game. The multiplayer rules handle what happens when a player leaves the game; see
rule 600.4.
103. The Magic Golden Rules
103.1. Whenever a card’s text directly contradicts these rules, the card takes precedence. The card
overrides only the rule that applies to that specific situation. The only exception is that a player can
concede the game at any time (see rule 102.3a).
103.2. When a rule or effect says something can happen and another effect says it can’t, the “can’t”
effect wins. For example, if one effect reads “You may play an additional land this turn” and
another reads “You can’t play land cards this turn,” the effect that keeps you from playing lands
wins out. Note that adding abilities to objects and removing abilities from objects don’t fall under
this rule. See rule 407, “Adding and Removing Abilities.”
103.3. If an instruction requires taking an impossible action, it’s ignored. (In many cases the card will
specify consequences for this; if it doesn’t, there’s no effect.)
103.4. If multiple players would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, the active player
(the player whose turn it is) makes any choices required, then the next player in turn order (usually
the player seated to the active player’s left) makes any choices required, followed by the remaining
nonactive players in turn order. Then the actions happen simultaneously. This rule is often referred
to as the “Active Player, Nonactive Player (APNAP) order” rule.
Example: A card reads “Each player sacrifices a creature.” First, the active player chooses
a creature he or she controls. Then each of the nonactive players chooses a creature he or
she controls. Then all creatures are sacrificed simultaneously.
103.4a A player knows the choices made by the previous players when he or she makes his or her
choice.
103.4b If a player would make more than one choice at the same time, the player makes the choices
in the order written, or in the order he or she chooses if the choices aren’t ordered.
104. Numbers and Symbols
104.1. The Magic game uses only integers.
104.1a You can’t choose a fractional number, deal fractional damage, gain fractional life, and so on.
If a spell or ability could generate a fractional number, the spell or ability will tell you whether
to round up or down.
104.1b Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers. You can’t choose a negative
number, deal negative damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it’s possible for a game
value, such as a creature’s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison that would
determine the result of an effect needs to use a negative value, it does so. If such a calculation
yields a negative number, zero is used instead, unless that effect sets a creature’s power or
toughness, changes a creature’s power or toughness, or sets a player’s life total.
Example: If a 3/4 creature gets -5/-0, it’s a -2/4 creature. It deals no damage in combat.
Its total power and toughness is 2. You’d have to give it +3/+0 to raise its power to 1.
Example: Viridian Joiner is a 1/2 creature that says “{T}: Add an amount of {G} to your
mana pool equal to Viridian Joiner’s power.” An effect gives it -2/-0, then its ability is
activated. The ability adds no mana to your mana pool.
104.2. If anything needs to use a number that can’t be determined, either as a result or in a calculation,
it uses 0 instead.
104.3. The mana symbols are {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, and {X}; the numerals {0}, {1}, {2}, {3},
{4}, and so on; the hybrid symbols {W/U}, {W/B}, {U/B}, {U/R}, {B/R}, {B/G}, {R/G}, {R/W},
{G/W}, and {G/U}; and the snow symbol {S}.
104.3a Each of the colored mana symbols represents one colored mana: {W} is white, {U} blue,
{B} black, {R} red, and {G} green.
104.3b Numeral symbols (such as {1}) are generic mana costs and represent an amount of mana
that can be paid with any color of, or colorless, mana.
104.3c The symbol {X} represents an unspecified amount of mana. When playing a spell or
activated ability with {X} in its cost, its controller decides the value of that variable.
104.3d Numeral symbols (such as {1}) and variable symbols (such as {X}) can also represent
colorless mana if they appear in the effect of a spell or ability that reads “add [mana symbol] to
your mana pool” or something similar.
104.3e The symbol {0} represents zero mana and is used as a placeholder when a spell or activated
ability costs nothing to play. A spell or ability whose cost is {0} must still be played the same
way as one with a cost greater than zero; it won’t play itself automatically.
104.3f Each of the hybrid mana symbols represents a cost that can be paid with one of two colors:
{W/U} in a cost can be paid with either white or blue mana, {W/B} white or black, {U/B} blue
or black, {U/R} blue or red, {B/R} black or red, {B/G} black or green, {R/G} red or green,
{R/W} red or white, {G/W} green or white, and {G/U} green or blue. A hybrid mana symbol is
each of its component colors.
Example: {G/W}{G/W} can be paid by spending {G}{G}, {G}{W}, or {W}{W}.
104.3g If an effect would add one mana represented by a hybrid mana symbol to a player’s mana
pool, that player chooses either of that symbol’s colors and adds one mana of that color to his or
her mana pool.
104.3h The snow mana symbol {S} represents a cost that can be paid with one mana produced by a
snow permanent. This is a generic mana cost that can be paid with any color of, or colorless,
mana. Effects that reduce the amount of generic mana you pay don’t affect {S} costs.
104.4. The tap symbol is {T}. The tap symbol in an activation cost means “Tap this permanent.” A
permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped again to pay the cost. Creatures that haven’t been
under a player’s control continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn can’t use
any ability with the tap symbol in the cost. See rule 212.3f.
104.5. A tombstone icon appears to the left of the name of many Odyssey™ block cards with abilities
that are relevant in a player’s graveyard. The purpose of the icon is to make those cards stand out
when they’re in a graveyard. This icon has no effect on game play.
104.6. A type icon appears in the upper left corner of each card from the Future Sight™ set printed with
an alternate “timeshifted” frame. If the card has a single card type, this icon indicates what it is:
claw marks for creature, a flame for sorcery, a lightning bolt for instant, a sunrise for enchantment,
a chalice for artifact, and a pair of mountain peaks for land. If the card has multiple card types,
that’s indicated by a black and white cross. This icon has no effect on game play.
104.7. Each activated ability of a planeswalker has an arrow-shaped loyalty symbol in its cost. Positive loyalty symbols point upward and feature a plus sign followed by a number or an X. Negative loyalty symbols point downward and feature a minus sign followed by a number or an X. [+N] means “Put N loyalty counters on this permanent,” and [-N] means “Remove N loyalty counters from this permanent.”
2. Parts of the Game
200. General
200.1. When a rule or text on a card refers to a “card,” it means a Magic card with a Magic card front
and the Magic card back. Tokens aren’t considered cards—even a card that represents a token isn’t
considered a card for rules purposes.
200.1a A card’s owner is the player who started the game with it in his or her deck or, for cards that
didn’t start the game in a player’s deck, the player who brought the card into the game.
200.2. Use the Oracle™ card reference when determining a card’s wording. A card’s Oracle text can be
found using the Gatherer card database at http://gatherer.wizards.com.
200.3. A player is one of the people in the game. The active player is the player whose turn it is. The
other players are nonactive players.
200.3a In a multiplayer game between teams, a player’s teammates are the other players on his or
her team, and the player’s opponents are all players not on his or her team.
200.4. A token is a marker used to represent any permanent that isn’t represented by a card. (See rule
216, “Tokens.”)
200.4a A token’s owner is the player who controlled the spell or ability that put it into play. A
token’s controller is the player who put it into play.
200.5. A spell is a card, or copy of a spell or card, that’s on the stack. (See rule 213, “Spells.”)
200.5a A spell’s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. The owner of a copy
of a spell is the controller of the effect that created it. A spell’s controller is the player who
played it.
200.6. A permanent is a card or token that’s in play. (See rule 214, “Permanents.”)
200.6a A nontoken permanent’s owner is the same as the owner of the card that represents it. A
permanent’s controller is the player who put it into play.
200.7. An ability can be one of two things. First, it can be an activated or triggered ability on the stack.
Second, it can be text on an object that explains what the object does. (See rule 402, “Abilities,” and
section 4, “Spells, Abilities, and Effects.”)
200.7a The controller of an activated ability is the player who played the ability. The controller of a
triggered ability is the player who controlled the ability’s source when it triggered, unless it’s a
delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the player who
controlled the spell or ability that created it.
200.8. An object is an ability on the stack, a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, or a permanent. The
term “object” is used in these rules when a rule applies to abilities on the stack, cards, tokens, spells,
and permanents. Combat damage on the stack is also an object, although many uses of the term
“object” in these rules don’t apply to it.
200.9. If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes a card type or subtype, but
doesn’t include the word “card,” “spell,” or “source,” it means a permanent of that card type or
subtype in play.
200.9a If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word “card” and the
name of a zone, it means a card matching that description in the stated zone.
200.9b If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word “spell,” it means a
spell matching that description on the stack.
200.9c If a spell or ability uses a description of an object that includes the word “source,” it means a
source matching that description—either a source of an ability or a source of damage—in any
zone. See rule 419.8 “Sources of Damage.”
200.10. A counter is a marker placed on an object or player, either modifying its characteristics or
interacting with an ability. A counter is not a token, and a token is not a counter. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable.
200.10a A +X/+Y counter on a permanent, where X and Y are numbers, adds X to that permanent’s power and Y to that permanent’s toughness. Similarly, -X/-Y counters subtract from power and toughness.
200.10b The number of loyalty counters on a planeswalker in play indicates how much loyalty it
has.
200.11. The parts of a card are name, mana cost, illustration, type line, expansion symbol, text box,
power and toughness, loyalty, illustration credit, legal text, and collector number. Some cards may
have more than one of any or all of these parts.
201. Characteristics
201.1. An object’s characteristics are name, mana cost, color, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion
symbol, rules text, abilities, power, toughness, and loyalty. Objects can have some or all of these
characteristics. Any other information about an object isn’t a characteristic. For example,
characteristics don’t include whether a permanent is tapped, a spell’s target, an object’s owner or
controller, what an Aura enchants, and so on.
202. Name
202.1. The name of a card is printed on its upper left corner.
202.2. Text that refers to the object it’s on by name means just that particular object and not any other
duplicates of it, regardless of any name changes caused by game effects.
202.2a If an ability of an object uses a phrase such as “this [something]” to identify an object, where
[something] is a characteristic, it is referring to that particular object, even if it isn’t the
appropriate characteristic at the time.
Example: An ability reads “Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Destroy that
creature at end of turn.” The ability will destroy the object it gave +2/+2 at the end of
the turn, even if that object isn’t a creature anymore.
202.2b If an ability of an object grants to another object an ability that refers to the first object by
name, the name refers only to the object whose ability grants that ability, not to any other object
with the same name.
Example: Saproling Burst has an ability that reads “Remove a fade counter from
Saproling Burst: Put a green Saproling creature token into play. It has ‘This creature’s
power and toughness are each equal to the number of fade counters on Saproling
Burst.’” The ability granted to the token only looks at the Saproling Burst that created
the token, not at any other Saproling Burst in play.
202.3. Two cards have the same name if the English versions of their names are identical, regardless of
anything else printed on the cards.
203. Mana Cost and Color
203.1. The mana cost of a card is indicated by mana symbols near the top of the card. On most cards,
these symbols are printed in the upper right corner. Some cards from the Future Sight set have
alternate frames in which the mana symbols appear to the left of the art. Paying an object’s mana
cost requires matching the color of any colored mana symbols as well as paying the generic mana
indicated in the cost.
203.1a A copy of an object copies that object’s mana cost. See rule 503, “Copying Objects.”
203.1b Some cards have no mana symbols where their mana cost would appear. This represents an
unpayable cost. An ability can also have an unpayable cost if its cost is based on the mana cost
of a spell with no mana cost. Attempting to play a spell or ability that has an unpayable cost is a
legal action. However, attempting to pay an unpayable cost is an illegal action.
If an unpayable cost is increased by an effect or an additional cost is imposed, the cost is still
unpayable. If an alternative cost is applied to an unpayable cost, including an effect that allows
you to play a spell without paying its mana cost, the alternative cost may be paid.
203.1c Lands normally have no mana cost. Lands are played without paying any costs.
203.1d Tokens have no mana cost unless the effect that creates them specifies otherwise.
203.2. An object is the color or colors of the mana symbols in its mana cost, regardless of the color of
its frame.
203.2a Objects with no colored mana symbols in their mana costs are colorless.
203.2b An object with two or more different colored mana symbols in its mana cost is each of the
colors of those mana symbols. Most multicolored cards are printed with a gold frame, but this is
not a requirement for a card to be multicolored.
203.2c The five colors are white, blue, black, red, and green. The white mana symbol is represented
by {W}, blue by {U}, black by {B}, red by {R}, and green by {G}.
Example: An object with a mana cost of {2}{W} is white, an object with a mana cost of {2}
is colorless, and one with a mana cost of {2}{W}{B} is both white and black.
203.2d If a player is asked to choose a color, he or she must choose one of the five colors.
“Multicolored” is not a color.
203.2e An object with one or more hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost is each of the colors of
that mana symbol, in addition to any other colors the object might be. Most cards with hybrid
mana symbols in their mana costs are printed in a two-tone frame. See rule 104.3f.
203.3. The converted mana cost of an object is a number equal to the total amount of mana in its mana
cost, regardless of color. Some effects ask a player to pay mana equal to an object’s converted mana
cost; this cost may be paid with any combination of colored and/or colorless mana, regardless of the
colors in the object’s mana cost.
Example: A mana cost of {3}{U}{U} translates to a converted mana cost of 5.
203.3a The converted mana cost of an object with no mana cost is 0.
203.3b When calculating the converted mana cost of an object with an {X} in its mana cost, X is
treated as 0 while the object is not on the stack, and X is treated as the number chosen for it
while the object is on the stack.
203.4. Any additional cost listed in an object’s rules text or imposed by an effect isn’t part of the mana
cost. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”) Such costs are paid at the same time
as the spell’s other costs.
204. Illustration
204.1. The illustration is printed on the upper half of a card and has no game significance. For example,
a creature doesn’t have the flying ability unless stated in its rules text, even if it’s depicted as flying.
205. Type Line
205.1. The card type (and subtype and supertype, if applicable) of a card is printed directly below the
illustration. (See rule 212, “Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype.”)
205.2. Card Types
205.2a The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and
tribal.
205.2b Some objects have more than one card type (for example, an artifact creature). Such objects
satisfy the criteria for any effect that applies to any of their card types.
205.3. Subtypes
205.3a A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line.
205.3b Subtypes are always single words and are listed after a long dash. Each word after the dash
is a separate subtype.
205.3c Subtypes of a [card type] object are also called [card type] types. For example, creature
subtypes are also called creature types. Objects may have multiple subtypes.
Example: “Basic Land — Mountain” means the card is a land with the Mountain
subtype. “Creature — Goblin Wizard” means the card is a creature with the subtypes
Goblin and Wizard. “Artifact — Equipment” means the card is an artifact with the
subtype Equipment.
205.3d Artifact, enchantment, land, and planeswalker each have their own unique set of possible
subtypes. Instant and sorcery share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types.
Creature and tribal also share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types.
(You can find complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under
“Creature Types,” “Land Types,” and so on.)
205.3e If a card with multiple card types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its
appropriate card type.
Example: Dryad Arbor’s type line says “Land Creature — Forest Dryad.” Forest is a land
type, and Dryad is a creature type.
205.4. Supertypes
205.4a A card can also have one or more supertypes. These are printed directly before its card
types. If an object’s card types or subtypes change, any supertypes it has are kept, although they
may not be relevant to the new card type.
205.4b Any land with the supertype “basic” is a basic land. Any land that doesn’t have this
supertype is a nonbasic land.
Example: Note that cards printed in sets prior to the Eighth Edition core set didn’t use
the word “basic” to indicate a basic land. Cards from those sets with the following
names are basic lands: Forest, Island, Mountain, Plains, Swamp, Snow-Covered Forest,
Snow-Covered Island, Snow-Covered Mountain, Snow-Covered Plains, and Snow-
Covered Swamp.
205.4c Any permanent with the supertype “legendary” is subject to the state-based effect for
legendary permanents, also called the “legend rule” (see rule 420.5e).
205.4d Any permanent with the supertype “world” is subject to the state-based effect for world
permanents, also called the “world rule” (see rule 420.5i).
205.4e Any permanent with the supertype “snow” is a snow permanent. Any permanent that doesn’t
have this supertype is a nonsnow permanent, regardless of its name.
206. Expansion Symbol
206.1. The expansion symbol indicates which Magic set a card is from. It’s normally printed below the
right edge of the illustration.
206.2. The color of the expansion symbol indicates the rarity of the card within its set. A gold symbol
indicates the card is rare. A silver expansion symbol indicates the card is uncommon. A black or
white expansion symbol indicates the card is common or is a basic land. A purple expansion symbol
signifies a special rarity; to date, only the Time Spiral™ “timeshifted” cards, which were rarer than
that set’s rare cards, have had purple expansion symbols. (Prior to the Exodus™ set, all expansion
symbols were black, regardless of rarity. Also, prior to the Sixth Edition core set, Magic core sets
didn’t have expansion symbols at all.)
206.3. A spell or ability that affects cards from a particular set “looks” only for that set’s expansion
symbol. A card reprinted in the core set receives the core set’s expansion symbol. Any reprinted
version of the card no longer counts as part of its original set unless it was reprinted with that set’s
expansion symbol. The first five editions of the core set had no expansion symbol.
207. Text Box
207.1. The text box is printed on the lower half of the card. It usually contains rules text defining the
card’s abilities.
207.2. The text box may also contain italicized reminder text (in parentheses), which summarizes a rule
that applies to that card, and italicized flavor text, which has no game function, but like the
illustration, adds artistic appeal to the game.
207.3. A guild icon appears in the text box of many Ravnica® block cards. These cards either have the
specified guild’s exclusive mechanic or somehow relate to the two colors associated with that guild.
Guild icons have no effect on game play.
208. Power/Toughness
208.1. A creature card has two numbers separated by a slash printed in its lower right corner. The first
number is its power (the amount of damage it deals in combat); the second is its toughness (the
amount of damage needed to destroy it). For example, 2/3 means the object has power 2 and
toughness 3. Power and toughness can be modified or set to particular values by effects.
208.2. Some creature cards have power and/or toughness represented by a * instead of a number. The
object has a characteristic-defining ability that sets its power and/or toughness according to some
stated condition. This ability functions in all zones. If the ability needs to use a number that can’t be
determined, use 0 instead of that number.
Example: Lost Order of Jarkeld has power and toughness each equal to 1+*. It says “As
Lost Order of Jarkeld comes into play, choose an opponent” and “Lost Order of Jarkeld’s
power and toughness are each equal to 1 plus the number of creatures that opponent
controls.” While Lost Order of Jarkeld isn’t in play, there won’t be a chosen opponent. Its
power and toughness will each be equal to 1 plus 0, so it’s a 1/1.
208.3. A noncreature permanent has no power or toughness, even if it’s a card with a power and
toughness printed on it (such as a Licid that’s become an Aura).
209. Loyalty
209.1. Each planeswalker card has a loyalty number printed in its lower right corner. This indicates its
loyalty while it’s not in play, and it also indicates that the planeswalker comes into play with that many loyalty counters on it.
210. Information Below the Text Box
210.1. Each card features text printed below the text box that has no effect on game play.
210.1a The illustration credit for a card is printed on the first line below the text box. It follows the abbreviation “Illus.” or, in more recent years, a paintbrush icon.
210.1b Legal text (the fine print at the bottom of the card) lists the trademark and copyright
information.
210.1c Some card sets feature collector numbers. This information is printed in the form [card number]/[total cards in the set], immediately following the legal text.
211. [This section has been intentionally left blank to preserve the ordering of other rules.]
212. Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype
212.1. General
212.1a Cards, tokens, permanents, and spells can all have card types, supertypes, and subtypes.
Abilities don’t have card types, supertypes, or subtypes. Instead, there are various categories of
abilities. (See rule 402, “Abilities.”)
212.1b. When an object’s card type changes, the new card type(s) replaces any existing card types.
Counters, effects, and damage affecting the object remain with it, even if they are meaningless
to the new card type. Similarly, when one or more of an object’s subtypes changes, the new
subtype(s) replaces any existing subtypes from the appropriate set (creature types, land types,
artifact types, enchantment types, planeswalker types, or spell types). If an object’s card type is
removed, the subtypes correlated with that card type will remain if they are also the subtypes of
a card type the object currently has; otherwise, they are also removed for the entire time the
object’s card type is removed. Removing an object’s subtype doesn’t affect its card types at all.
212.1c Some effects change an object’s card type, supertype, or subtype but specify that the object
retains a prior card type, supertype, or subtype. In such cases, all the object’s prior card types,
supertypes, and subtypes are retained. This rule applies to effects that use the phrase “in addition
to its types” or that state that something is “still a [card type].” Some effects state that an object
becomes an “artifact creature”; these effects also allow the object to retain all of its prior card
types and subtypes.
Example: An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” The
affected lands now have two card types: creature and land. If there were any lands that
were also artifacts before the ability’s effect applied to them, those lands would become
“artifact land creatures,” not just “creatures,” or “land creatures.” The effect allows
them to retain both the card type “artifact” and the card type “land.”
Example: An ability reads, “All artifacts are 1/1 artifact creatures.” If a permanent is
both an artifact and an enchantment, it will become an “artifact enchantment creature.”
212.1d An object’s supertype is independent of its card type and subtype. Changing an object’s card
type or subtype won’t change its supertype. Changing an object’s supertype won’t change its
card type or subtype. When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes
it had.
Example: An ability reads, “All lands are 1/1 creatures that are still lands.” If any of
the affected lands were legendary, they are still legendary.
212.1e If an instruction requires choosing a subtype, you must choose one, and only one, existing
subtype, and the subtype you choose must be for the appropriate card type. For example, you
can’t choose a land type if an instruction requires choosing a creature type. (Use the Oracle card
reference to determine whether a creature type exists; see rule 200.2. You can also find
complete lists of subtypes in the glossary at the end of this document under “Creature Types,”
“Land Types,” etc.)
Example: When choosing a creature type, “Merfolk” or “Wizard” is acceptable, but
“Merfolk Wizard” is not. Words like “artifact,” “opponent,” “Swamp,” or “truck”
can’t be chosen because they aren’t creature types.
212.2. Artifacts
212.2a A player who has priority may play an artifact card from his or her hand during a main phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an artifact as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.2b When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.
212.2c Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Artifact —
Equipment.” Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types. Artifacts may have multiple
subtypes. (You can find the complete list of artifact subtypes under “Artifact Types” in the
glossary at the end of this document.)
212.2d Artifacts have no characteristics specific to their card type. Most artifacts have no colored
mana symbols in their mana costs, and are therefore colorless. However, there is no correlation
between being colorless and being an artifact: artifacts may be colored, and colorless objects
may be card types other than artifact.
212.2e Artifact creatures combine the characteristics of both creatures and artifacts, and are subject
to spells and abilities that affect either or both card types.
212.2f Artifact lands combine the characteristics of both lands and artifacts, and are subject to spells
and abilities that affect either or both card types. Artifact lands can only be played as lands.
They can’t be played as spells.
212.2g Some artifacts have the subtype “Equipment.” An Equipment can be attached to a creature.
It can’t legally be attached to an object that isn’t a creature.
212.2h An Equipment is played and comes into play just like any other artifact. An Equipment
doesn’t come into play attached to a creature. The equip keyword ability moves the Equipment
onto a creature you control (see rule 502.33, “Equip”). Control of the creature matters only
when the equip ability is played and when it resolves. The creature to which the Equipment is to
be moved must be able to be equipped by it. If it can’t, the Equipment doesn’t move.
212.2i An Equipment that’s also a creature can’t equip a creature. Equipment that loses the subtype
“Equipment” can’t equip a creature. An Equipment can’t equip itself. An Equipment that equips
an illegal or nonexistent permanent becomes unattached from that permanent but remains in
play. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
212.2j The creature an Equipment is attached to is called the “equipped creature.” The Equipment is
attached to, or “equips,” that creature.
212.2k An Equipment’s controller is separate from the equipped creature’s controller; the two need
not be the same. Changing control of the creature doesn’t change control of the Equipment, and
vice versa. Only the Equipment’s controller can play its abilities. However, if the Equipment
adds an ability to the equipped creature (with “gains” or “has”), the equipped creature’s
controller is the only one who can play that ability.
212.2m Some artifacts have the subtype “Fortification.” A Fortification can be attached to a land. It
can’t legally be attached to an object that isn’t a land. Rules 212.2h–k apply to Fortifications in
relation to lands just as they apply to Equipment in relation to creatures. Fortification’s analog
to the equip keyword ability is the fortify keyword ability. (See rule 502.65, “Fortify.”)
212.3. Creatures
212.3a A player who has priority may play a creature card from his or her hand during a main phase
of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a creature as a spell uses the stack. (See rule
409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.3b When a creature spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.
212.3c Creature subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Creature —
Human Soldier,” “Artifact Creature — Golem,” and so on. Creature subtypes are also called
creature types. Creatures may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of
creature subtypes under “Creature Types” in the glossary at the end of this document.)
Example: “Creature — Goblin Wizard” means the card is a creature with the subtypes
Goblin and Wizard.
212.3d Power and toughness are characteristics only creatures have. A creature’s power is the
amount of damage it deals in combat, and its toughness is the amount of damage needed to
destroy it. To determine a creature’s power and toughness, start with the numbers printed in its
lower right corner, then apply any applicable continuous effects. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of
Continuous Effects.”)
212.3e Creatures can attack and block. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step,” and rule 309,
“Declare Blockers Step.”)
212.3f A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol in its activation cost can’t be played unless
the creature has been under its controller’s control since the start of his or her most recent turn.
A creature can’t attack unless it has been under its controller’s control since the start of his or
her most recent turn. This rule is informally called the “summoning sickness” rule. Ignore this
rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5).
212.3g Creature lands combine the characteristics of both lands and creatures, and are subject to
spells and abilities that affect either or both card types. Creature lands can only be played as
lands. They can’t be played as spells.
212.4. Enchantments
212.4a A player who has priority may play an enchantment card from his or her hand during a main
phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing an enchantment as a spell uses the
stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.4b When an enchantment spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.
212.4c Enchantment subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Enchantment — Shrine.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Enchantment
subtypes are also called enchantment types. Enchantments may have multiple subtypes. (You
can find the complete list of enchantment subtypes under “Enchantment Types” in the glossary
at the end of this document.)
212.4d Some enchantments have the subtype “Aura.” An Aura comes into play attached to an object
or player. What an Aura can be attached to is restricted by its enchant keyword ability (see rule
502.45, “Enchant”). Other effects can limit what a permanent can be enchanted by.
212.4e An Aura spell requires a target, which is restricted by its enchant ability.
212.4f If an Aura is enchanting an illegal object or player, the object it was attached to no longer
exists, or the player it was attached to has left the game, the Aura is put into its owner’s
graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
212.4g An Aura can’t enchant itself, and an Aura that’s also a creature can’t enchant anything. If
this occurs somehow, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect.
See rule 420.)
212.4h The object or player an Aura is attached to is called enchanted. The Aura is attached to, or
“enchants,” that object or player.
212.4i An Aura’s controller is separate from the enchanted object’s controller; the two need not be
the same. Changing control of the object doesn’t change control of the Aura, and vice versa.
Only the Aura’s controller can play its abilities. However, if the Aura adds an ability to the
enchanted object (with “gains” or “has”), the enchanted object’s controller is the only one who
can play that ability.
212.4j If an Aura is coming into play by any means other than by being played and the effect
putting it into play doesn’t specify the object or player the Aura will enchant, the player putting
it into play chooses what it will enchant as the Aura comes into play. The player must choose a
legal object or player according to the Aura’s enchant ability and any other applicable effects. If
the player can’t make a legal choice, the Aura remains in its current zone, unless that zone is the
stack. In that case, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard instead of coming into play.
212.4k If an effect attempts to attach an Aura in play to an object or player, that object or player
must be able to be enchanted by it. If the object or player can’t be, the Aura doesn’t move.
212.5. Instants
212.5a A player who has priority may play an instant card from his or her hand. Playing an instant
as a spell uses the stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.5b When an instant spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are followed. Then it’s put
into its owner’s graveyard.
212.5c Instant subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Instant —
Arcane.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of instant subtypes is the same
as the set of sorcery subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Instants may have multiple
subtypes. (You can find the complete list of instant subtypes under “Spell Types” in the glossary
at the end of this document.)
212.5d Instants can’t come into play. If an instant would come into play, it remains in its previous
zone instead.
212.5e If text states that a player may do something “any time he or she could play an instant,” it
means only that the player must have priority. The player doesn’t need to have an instant he or
she could actually play.
212.6. Lands
212.6a Playing a land card is a special action (see 408.2d). To play a land card, the player simply puts it into play. The land card doesn’t go on the stack, and is never a spell, so players can’t respond to it with instants or activated abilities.
212.6b A player who has priority may choose to play a land card from his or her hand during a main
phase of his or her turn, when the stack is empty. Continuous effects may allow the player to play land cards from other zones this way, or to play land cards at other times.
212.6c A player may normally play only one land card during his or her turn; however, continuous
effects may increase this number. If any such effects exist, the player announces which effect, or this rule, applies to each land play as it happens.
212.6d A player can’t play a land, for any reason, if it isn’t his or her turn. Ignore any part of an
effect that instructs a player to do so. Similarly, a player can’t play a land, for any reason, if that player has used all of his or her land plays for that turn. Ignore any part of an effect that instructs a player to do so.
212.6e Effects may also allow players to “put” lands into play. This isn’t the same as “playing a
land” and doesn’t count as a player’s one land played during his or her turn.
212.6f Land subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash. Land subtypes are
also called land types. Lands may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the complete list of
land subtypes under “Land Types” in the glossary at the end of this document.)
Example: “Basic Land — Mountain” means the card is a land with the Mountain
subtype.
212.6g The basic land types are Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. If an object uses the
words “basic land type,” it’s referring to one of these subtypes. A land with a basic land type
has an intrinsic ability to produce colored mana. (See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”) The land is
treated as if its text box included, “{T}: Add [mana symbol] to your mana pool,” even if the text
box doesn’t actually contain text or the card has no text box. Plains produce white mana;
Islands, blue; Swamps, black; Mountains, red; and Forests, green.
212.6h If an effect changes a land’s subtype to one or more of the basic land types, the land no
longer has its old land type. It loses all abilities generated from its rules text and its old land
types, and it gains the appropriate mana ability for each new basic land type. Note that this
doesn’t remove any abilities that were granted to the land by other effects. Changing a land’s
subtype doesn’t add or remove any card types (such as creature) or supertypes (such as basic,
legendary, and snow) the land may have. If a land gains one or more land types in addition to its
own, it keeps its land types and rules text, and it gains the new land types and mana abilities.
212.6i Any land with the supertype “basic” is a basic land. Any land that doesn’t have this
supertype is a nonbasic land.
212.6j If an object is both a land and another card type, it can be played only as a land. It can’t be
played as a spell.
212.7. Sorceries
212.7a A player who has priority may play a sorcery card from his or her hand during a main phase
of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a sorcery as a spell uses the stack. (See rule
409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.7b When a sorcery spell resolves, the actions stated in its rules text are followed. Then it’s put
into its owner’s graveyard.
212.7c Sorcery subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Sorcery —
Arcane.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. The set of sorcery subtypes is the same
as the set of instant subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Sorceries may have multiple
subtypes. (You can find the complete list of sorcery subtypes under “Spell Types” in the
glossary at the end of this document.)
212.7d Sorceries can’t come into play. If a sorcery would come into play, it remains in its previous
zone instead.
212.7e If a spell, ability, or effect states that a player can do something only “any time he or she
could play a sorcery,” it means only that the player must have priority, it must be during the
main phase of his or her turn, and the stack must be empty. The player doesn’t need to have a
sorcery he or she could actually play.
212.8. Tribals
212.8a Each tribal card has another card type. Playing and resolving a tribal card follows the rules
for playing and resolving a card of the other card type.
212.8b Tribal subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Tribal
Enchantment — Merfolk.” The set of tribal subtypes is the same as the set of creature subtypes;
these subtypes are called creature types. Tribals may have multiple subtypes. (You can find the
complete list of tribal subtypes under “Creature Types” in the glossary at the end of this
document.)
212.9. Planeswalkers
212.9a A player who has priority may play a planeswalker card from his or her hand during a main
phase of his or her turn when the stack is empty. Playing a planeswalker as a spell uses the
stack. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”)
212.9b When a planeswalker spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control.
212.9c Planeswalker subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash:
“Planeswalker — Jace.” Each word after the dash is a separate subtype. Planeswalker subtypes
are also called planeswalker types. Planeswalkers may have multiple subtypes. (You can find
the complete list of planeswalker subtypes under “Planeswalker Types” in the glossary at the
end of this document.) If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are in play,
all are put into their owners’ graveyards as a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.
212.9d Loyalty is a characteristic only planeswalkers have. The loyalty of a planeswalker not in
play is equal to the number printed in its lower right corner. The loyalty of a planeswalker in
play is equal to the number of loyalty counters on it. A planeswalker is treated as if its text box
included, “This permanent comes into play with a number of loyalty counters on it equal to its
printed loyalty number”; this ability creates a replacement effect (see rule 419.1). As a
planeswalker gains or loses loyalty, loyalty counters are put on it or removed from it,
respectively. Damage dealt to a planeswalker results in that many loyalty counters being
removed from it. If a planeswalker’s loyalty is 0, it’s put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-
based effect. See rule 420.5.
212.9e Planeswalkers can be attacked. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”)
212.9f Each planeswalker has a number of activated abilities. A player may play an activated ability of a planeswalker only during a main phase of his or her turn, when he or she has priority and the stack is empty, and only if none of its activated abilities have been played that turn. The cost to play an activated ability of a planeswalker is to put on or remove from that planeswalker a certain number of loyalty counters, as shown by the loyalty symbol in the ability’s cost. An ability with a negative loyalty cost can’t be played unless the planeswalker has at least that many loyalty counters on it.
212.9g If noncombat damage would be dealt to a player by a source controlled by an opponent, that opponent may have that source deal that damage to a planeswalker the first player controls instead. This is a redirection effect (see rule 419.6c) and is subject to the normal rules for ordering replacement effects (see rule 419.9). The opponent chooses whether to redirect the damage as the redirection effect is applied.
213. Spells
213.1. Every nonland card is a spell while it’s being played (see rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated
Abilities”) and while it’s on the stack. Once it’s played, a card remains a spell until it resolves, is
countered, or otherwise leaves the stack. For more information, see rule 401, “Spells on the Stack.”
213.2. A spell’s card type, supertype, and subtype are the same as those of its card.
213.3. The term “spell” is used to refer to a card, or a copy of a spell or card, while it’s on the stack.
213.4. Every spell has a controller. By default, a spell’s controller is the player who played it.
213.5. If an effect changes any characteristics of a spell that becomes a permanent, the effect continues
to apply to the permanent when the spell resolves.
Example: If an effect changes a black creature spell to white, the creature is white when it
comes into play and remains white for the duration of the effect changing its color.
214. Permanents
214.1. A permanent is a card or token in play. Permanents stay in play unless moved to another zone by
an effect or rule. There are five permanent types: artifact, creature, enchantment, land, and
planeswalker. Instant and sorcery cards can’t come into play. Some tribal cards can come into play
and some can’t, depending on their other card types.
214.1a The term “permanent card” is used to refer to a card that could be put into play. Specifically,
it means an artifact, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card.
214.1b If a permanent somehow loses all its permanent types, it remains in play. It’s still a
permanent.
214.2. A nontoken permanent’s card types, supertypes, and subtypes are the same as those printed on its
card. A token’s card types, supertypes, and subtypes are set by the spell or ability that created it.
214.3. A card or token becomes a permanent when it comes into play and it stops being a permanent
when it leaves play. Permanents come into play untapped. The term “permanent” is used to refer to
a card or token while it’s in play. The term “card” isn’t used to refer to a card that’s in play as a
permanent; rather, it’s used to refer to a card that’s not in play or on the stack, such as a creature
card in a player’s hand. For more information, see rule 217, “Zones.”
214.4. Every permanent has a controller. By default, a permanent’s controller is the player who put it
into play.
214.5. Every permanent has a value in each of three status categories: tapped/untapped,
flipped/unflipped, and face up/face down. By default, a permanent comes into play untapped,
unflipped, and face up. For more information, see rule 510, “Status.”
215. Life
215.1. Each player begins the game with a life total of 20. In a Two-Headed Giant game, each team
begins the game with a shared life total of 30 instead; see rule 606, “Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
215.2. Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.
215.3. If an effect causes a player to gain life or lose life, that player’s life total is adjusted accordingly.
215.4. If a cost or effect allows a player to pay life, the player may do so only if his or her life total is
equal to or greater than the amount of the payment. If a player pays life, the payment is subtracted
from his or her life total.
215.5. If an effect sets a player’s life total to a specific number, the player gains or loses the necessary
amount of life to end up with the new total.
215.6. If a player has 0 or less life, that player loses the game as a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.
216. Tokens
216.1. Some effects put tokens into play. A token is controlled by whomever put it into play and owned
by the controller of the spell or ability that created it. (If no player controlled the effect that created
it, the token is owned by whomever put it into play.) The spell or ability may define any number of
characteristics for the token. This becomes the token’s “text.” The characteristics defined this way
are functionally equivalent to the characteristics that are printed on a card; for example, they define
the token’s copiable values. A token doesn’t have any characteristics not defined by the spell or
ability that created it.
216.1a A spell or ability that creates a creature token sets both its name and its creature type. If the
spell or ability doesn’t specify the name of the creature token, its name is the same as its
creature type(s). A “Goblin Scout creature token,” for example, is named “Goblin Scout” and
has the creature subtypes Goblin and Scout. Once a token is in play, changing its name doesn’t
change its creature type, and vice versa.
216.2. A token is subject to anything that affects permanents in general or that affects the token’s card
type or subtype. A token isn’t a card (even if represented by a card that has a Magic back or that
came from a Magic booster pack).
216.3. A token in a zone other than the in-play zone ceases to exist. This is a state-based effect. (Note
that a token changing zones sets off triggered abilities before the token ceases to exist.)
216.4 A token that has left play can’t come back into play. If such a token would return to play, it
remains in its current zone instead. It ceases to exist the next time state-based effects are checked.
217. Zones
217.1. A zone is a place where objects can be during a game. There are normally six zones: library,
hand, graveyard, in play, stack, and removed from the game. Some older cards also use the ante and
phased-out zones. Each player has his or her own library, hand, and graveyard. The other zones are
shared by all players.
217.1a If an object would go to any library, graveyard, or hand other than its owner’s, it goes to the
corresponding zone of its owner’s instead. If an instant or sorcery card would come into play, it
remains in its previous zone instead.
217.1b The order of objects in a library, in a graveyard, or on the stack can’t be changed except
when effects or rules allow it. Objects in other zones can be arranged however their owners
wish, although who controls those objects, whether they’re tapped or flipped, and what other
objects are attached to them must remain clear to all players.
217.1c An object that moves from one zone to another is treated as a new object. Effects connected
with its previous location will no longer affect it. There are four exceptions to this rule: (1)
Effects that change the characteristics of an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker
spell on the stack will continue to apply to the permanent that spell creates. (2) Abilities that
trigger when an object moves from one zone to another (for example, “When Rancor is put into
a graveyard from play”) can find the object in the zone it moved to when the ability triggered.
(3) Prevention effects that apply to damage from an artifact, creature, enchantment, or
planeswalker spell on the stack will continue to apply to damage from the permanent that spell
becomes. (4) Permanents that phase out or in “remember” their earlier states. See rule 217.8c.
217.1d If an object would move from one zone to another, first determine what event is moving the
object. Then apply any appropriate replacement effects to that event. If an effect or rule tries to
do two or more contradictory or mutually exclusive things to a particular object, that object’s
controller—or its owner if it has no controller—chooses what the effect does to the object. Then
the event moves the object.
217.1e An object is outside the game if it’s in the removed-from-the-game zone, or if it isn’t in any
of the game’s zones. All other objects are inside the game. Outside the game is not a zone.
217.1f If an object in the removed-from-the-game zone is removed from the game, it doesn’t change
zones, but it is treated as a new object that has just been removed from the game.
217.2. Library
217.2a When a game begins, each player’s deck becomes his or her library.
217.2b Each library must be kept in a single face-down pile. Players can’t look at or change the
order of cards in a library.
217.2c Any player may count the number of cards remaining in any player’s library at any time.
217.2d If an effect puts two or more cards on the top or bottom of a library at the same time, the
owner of those cards may arrange them in any order. That library’s owner doesn’t reveal the
order in which the cards go into his or her library.
217.2e Some effects tell a player to play with the top card of his or her library revealed. If the top
card of the player’s library changes while a spell or ability is being played, the new top card
won’t be revealed until the spell or ability becomes played (see rule 409.1i).
217.2f If a spell or ability causes a card to be drawn while another spell or ability is being played,
the drawn card is kept face down until that spell or ability becomes played (see rule 409.1i).
217.3. Hand
217.3a The hand is where a player holds cards that have been drawn but not yet played. At the
beginning of the game, each player draws a hand of seven cards. (See rule 101, “Starting the
Game.”)
217.3b Each player has a maximum hand size, which is normally seven cards. A player may have
any number of cards in his or her hand, but as part of his or her cleanup step, the player must
discard excess cards down to the maximum hand size.
217.3c A player may arrange his or her hand in any convenient fashion and look at it as much as he
or she wishes. A player can’t look at the cards in another player’s hand but may count those
cards at any time.
217.4. Graveyard
217.4a A graveyard is a discard pile. Any object that’s countered, discarded, destroyed, or sacrificed
is put on top of its owner’s graveyard, as is any instant or sorcery spell that’s finished resolving.
Each player’s graveyard starts out empty.
217.4b Each graveyard is kept in a single face-up pile. A player can examine the cards in any
graveyard at any time but can’t change their order.
217.4c If an effect or rule puts two or more cards into the same graveyard at the same time, the
owner of those cards may arrange them in any order.
217.5. In Play
217.5a Most of the area between the players represents the in-play zone. The in-play zone starts out
empty. Permanents a player controls are normally kept in front of him or her in the in-play zone,
though there are some cases (such as an Aura attached to another player’s permanent) when a
permanent one player controls is kept closer to a different player.
217.5b A spell or ability affects and checks only the in-play zone unless it specifically mentions a
player or another zone. Permanents exist only in the in-play zone.
217.5c Whenever a permanent enters the in-play zone, it’s considered a brand-new permanent and
has no relationship to any previous permanent represented by the same object. This is also true
for any objects entering any zone (see rule 217.1c).
217.5d An object not in the in-play zone isn’t “in play” and isn’t considered tapped or untapped.
Objects that aren’t either in play or on the stack aren’t controlled by any player.
217.6. Stack
217.6a When a spell is played, the physical card is put on the stack. When an ability is played, it
goes on top of the stack without any card associated with it(see rule 409.1a).
217.6b The stack keeps track of the order that spells and/or abilities were added to it. Each time an
object is put on the stack, it’s put on top of all objects already there. (See rule 408, “Timing of
Spells and Abilities.”)
217.6c Each spell has all the characteristics of the card associated with it. Each activated or
triggered ability that’s on the stack has the text of the ability that created it and no other
characteristics. The controller of a spell is the person who played the spell. The controller of an
activated ability is the player who played the ability. The controller of a triggered ability is the
player who controlled the ability’s source when it triggered, unless it’s a delayed triggered
ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the player who controlled the spell or
ability that created it.
217.6d When all players pass in succession, the top (last-added) spell or ability on the stack
resolves. If the stack is empty when all players pass, the current step or phase ends and the next
begins.
217.6e Combat damage also uses the stack, in the same way as other objects that use the stack.
217.7. Removed from the Game
217.7a Objects can be removed from the game. Some effects may provide a way for a card to return
to a zone and use the term “set aside.” Cards that are set aside this way are still removed from
the game, even though that removal may be temporary. Objects that aren’t cards that would
return to a zone remain removed from the game instead.
217.7b Cards in the removed-from-the-game zone are kept face up and may be examined by any
player at any time. Cards “removed from the game face down” can’t be examined by any player
except when instructions allow it.
217.7c Cards that might return to play should be kept in separate piles to keep track of their
respective ways of returning.
217.7d A card may have one ability printed on it that removes one or more cards from the game,
and another ability that refers either to “the removed cards” or to cards “removed from the game
with [name].” These abilities are linked: the second refers only to cards in the removed-from-
the-game zone removed as a result of the first. If another object gains a pair of linked abilities,
the abilities will be similarly linked on that object. They can’t be linked to any other ability,
regardless of what other abilities the object may currently have or may have had in the past.
Example: Arc-Slogger has the ability “{R}: Remove the top ten cards of your library
from the game: Arc-Slogger deals 2 damage to target creature or player.” Sisters of
Stone Death has the ability “{B}{G}: Remove from the game target creature blocking or
blocked by Sisters of Stone Death” and the ability “{2}{B}: Put a creature card removed
from the game with Sisters of Stone Death into play under your control.” Quicksilver
Elemental has the ability “{U}: Quicksilver Elemental gains all activated abilities of
target creature until end of turn.” If a player has Quicksilver Elemental gain Arc-
Slogger’s ability, plays it, then has Quicksilver Elemental gain Sisters of Stone Death’s
abilities, plays the remove-from-game ability, and then plays the return-to-play ability,
only the creature card Quicksilver Elemental removed from the game with Sisters of
Stone Death’s ability can be returned to play. Creature cards Quicksilver Elemental
removed from the game with Arc-Slogger’s ability can’t be returned.
217.7e If an object in the removed-from-the-game zone is removed from the game, it doesn’t
change zones, but it is treated as a new object that has just been removed from the game.
217.8. Phased Out
217.8a Permanents that phase out are placed in the phased-out zone. (See rule 502.15, “Phasing.”)
217.8b Face-up objects in the phased-out zone may be examined by any player at any time. Face-
down objects in the phased-out zone are covered by the rules for face-down permanents. (See
rule 502.26, “Morph,” and rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”)
217.8c Phased-out objects are not in play, so they do not count as tapped or untapped, nor are they
controlled by anyone. However, an object in this zone “remembers” the state of the permanent
as it phased out and returns to play in the same state as when it left. (See rule 502.15,
“Phasing.”)
217.8d Tokens in the phased-out zone cease to exist. This is a state-based effect (see rule 420,
“State-Based Effects”). Any phased-out Auras, Equipment, or Fortifications that were attached
to those tokens remain phased out for the rest of the game.
217.9. Ante
217.9a Earlier versions of the Magic rules included an ante rule as a way of playing “for keeps.”
Playing Magic games for ante is now considered an optional variation on the game, and it’s
allowed only where it’s not forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly
forbidden under the DCI Universal Tournament Rules
(www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home).
217.9b When playing for ante, each player puts one random card from his or her deck into the ante
zone at the beginning of the game. Cards in the ante zone may be examined by any player at any
time. At the end of the game, the winner becomes the owner of all the cards in the ante zone.
217.9c A few cards have the text “Remove [this card] from your deck before playing if you’re not
playing for ante.” These are the only cards that can add or remove cards from a player’s ante
zone or change a card’s owner.
217.9d To ante an object is to put that object into the ante zone from whichever zone it’s currently
in. The owner of an object is the only person who can ante that object.
3. Turn Structure
300. General
300.1. A turn consists of five phases, in this order: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat
main, and end. Each of these phases takes place every turn, even if nothing happens during the
phase. The beginning, combat, and end phases are further broken down into steps, which proceed in
order.
300.2. A phase or step ends when the stack is empty and all players pass in succession. No game events
can occur between turns, phases, or steps. Simply having the stack become empty doesn’t cause the
phase or step to end; all players have to pass with the stack empty. Because of this, each player gets
a chance to add new things to the stack before the current phase or step ends.
300.3. When a phase ends (but not a step), any unused mana left in a player’s mana pool is lost. That
player loses 1 life for each one mana lost this way. This is called mana burn. Mana burn is loss of
life, not damage, so it can’t be prevented or altered by effects that affect damage. This game action
doesn’t use the stack. (See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”)
300.4. When a phase or step ends, any effects scheduled to last “until end of” that phase or step expire.
When a phase or step begins, any effects scheduled to last “until” that phase or step expire. Effects
that last “until end of combat” expire at the end of the combat phase, not at the beginning of the end
of combat step. Effects that last “until end of turn” are subject to special rules; see rule 314.2.
300.5. When a phase or step begins, any abilities that trigger “at the beginning of” that phase or step are
added to the stack.
300.6. Some effects can give a player extra turns. They do this by adding the turns directly after the
current turn. If a player gets multiple extra turns or if multiple players get extra turns during a single
turn, the extra turns are added one at a time. The most recently created turn will be taken first.
300.7. Some effects can add phases to a turn. They do this by adding the phases directly after the
specified phase. If multiple extra phases are created after the same phase, the most recently created
phase will occur first.
300.8. Some effects can add steps to a phase. They do this by adding the steps directly after a specified
step (or directly before a specified step). If multiple extra steps are created after the same step, the
most recently created step will occur first.
300.9. Some effects can cause a step, phase, or turn to be skipped. To skip a step, phase, or turn is to
proceed past it as though it didn’t exist. See rule 419.6e and rule 419.6f.
301. Beginning Phase
301.1. The beginning phase consists of three steps, in this order: untap, upkeep, and draw.
302. Untap Step
302.1. First, all permanents with phasing that the active player controls phase out, and all phased-out
objects that the active player controlled when they phased out simultaneously phase in (this game
action doesn’t use the stack). See rule 217.8, “Phased Out,” and rule 502.15, “Phasing.”
302.2. Next the active player determines which permanents he or she controls will untap. Then he or
she untaps them all simultaneously (this game action doesn’t use the stack). Normally, all of a
player’s permanents untap, but effects can keep one or more of a player’s permanents from
untapping.
302.3. No player receives priority during the untap step, so no spells or abilities can be played or
resolved. Any ability that triggers during this step will be held until the next time a player would
receive priority, which is usually during the upkeep step. (See rule 303, “Upkeep Step.”)
303. Upkeep Step
303.1. As the upkeep step begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of that upkeep step and any
abilities that triggered during the turn’s untap step go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling
Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.
304. Draw Step
304.1. First, the active player draws a card. This game action doesn’t use the stack. Then any abilities
that trigger at the beginning of the draw step and any other abilities that have triggered go on the
stack. Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities.
305. Main Phase
305.1. There are two main phases in a turn. In each turn, the first main phase, known as the precombat
main phase, and the second main phase, known as the postcombat main phase, are separated by the
combat phase (see rule 306, “Combat Phase”). The precombat and postcombat main phases are
individually and collectively known as the main phase.
305.2. The main phase has no steps, so a main phase ends when all players pass in succession while the
stack is empty. (See rule 300.2.)
305.3. As the main phase begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of that main phase go on the
stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and
players may play spells and abilities. (This is the only phase in which a player can normally play
artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells, and only the active player may
play these spells.)
305.4. During either main phase, the active player may play one land card from his or her hand if the
stack is empty, if the player has priority, and if he or she hasn’t yet taken this special action this
turn. (See rule 212.6, “Lands.”) This action doesn’t use the stack and it isn’t a spell or ability of any
kind. It can’t be countered, and players can’t respond to it with instants or activated abilities.
306. Combat Phase
306.1. The combat phase has five steps, which proceed in order: beginning of combat, declare attackers,
declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. The declare blockers and combat damage
steps are skipped if no creatures are declared as attackers or put into play attacking (see rule 308.5).
There are two combat damage steps if any attacking or blocking creature has first strike (see rule
502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28).
306.2. During the combat phase, the active player is the attacking player; creatures that player controls
may attack. As the combat phase starts, the active player chooses one of his or her opponents. The
chosen opponent is the defending player; that player and planeswalkers he or she controls may be
attacked. Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple other players. See rule
602, “Attack Multiple Players Option,” and rule 606, “Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
306.3. Only a creature can attack or block. Only a player or a planeswalker can be attacked.
306.3a If an effect would put a noncreature permanent into play attacking or blocking, the permanent does come into play but it’s never considered to be an attacking or blocking permanent.
306.4. A creature or planeswalker is removed from combat if it leaves play (such as by being destroyed
or removed from the game); if its controller changes; if it stops being a creature or planeswalker, respectively; or if an effect removes it from combat. A creature is also removed from combat if it regenerates (see rule 419.6b). A creature that’s removed from combat stops being an attacking, blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature. A planeswalker that’s removed from combat stops being attacked.
306.4a Once a creature has been declared as an attacking or blocking creature, spells or abilities that
would have kept that creature from attacking or blocking don’t remove the creature from
combat.
306.4b Tapping or untapping a creature that’s already been declared as an attacker or blocker
doesn’t remove it from combat and doesn’t prevent its combat damage.
306.4c If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, removing that planeswalker from combat doesn’t
remove that creature from combat. It continues to be an attacking creature, although it is
attacking neither a player nor a planeswalker. It may be blocked. If it is unblocked, it will deal
no combat damage.
306.5. An attacking creature is attacking alone if no other creatures are attacking. A blocking creature is blocking alone if no other creatures are blocking.
307. Beginning of Combat Step
307.1. As the beginning of combat step begins, any abilities that trigger at the beginning of combat go
on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and
players may play spells and abilities.
308. Declare Attackers Step
308.1. As the declare attackers step begins, the active player declares attackers. This game action
doesn’t use the stack. If the defending player controls any planeswalkers, or the game allows the
active player to attack multiple other players, he or she declares which player or planeswalker each
creature is attacking. Effects from a creature that refer to a defending player refer only to the
defending player it’s attacking (if it’s attacking a player) or the controller of the planeswalker it’s
attacking (if it’s attacking a planeswalker). Then any abilities that triggered on attackers being
declared go on the stack. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets
priority and players may play spells and abilities.
308.2. To declare attackers, the active player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during the
declaration of attackers, the active player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the
declaration was illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule 422,
“Handling Illegal Actions,” and rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks”).
308.2a For each untapped creature the active player controls that he or she has controlled
continuously since the beginning of the turn or that has haste, that player either chooses not to attack with it, or chooses an opponent or a planeswalker controlled by an opponent for that creature to attack. Then he or she determines whether this set of attackers is legal. (See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”)
308.2b If any of the chosen creatures have banding or a bands with other ability, the active player
announces which creatures, if any, are banded with which. (See rule 502.10, “Banding.”)
308.2c The active player taps the chosen creatures. Tapping a creature when it’s declared as an
attacker isn’t a cost; attacking simply causes creatures to become tapped.
308.2d If any of the creatures require paying costs to attack, the active player determines the total
cost to attack. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents,
discarding cards, and so on. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes “locked in.” If effects
would change the total cost after this time, ignore this change.
308.2e If any of the costs require mana, the active player then has a chance to play mana abilities
(see rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities”).
308.2f Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all costs in any
order. Partial payments are not allowed.
308.2g Each chosen creature becomes an attacking creature if all costs have been paid, but only if
it’s still controlled by the active player. It remains an attacking creature until it’s removed from
combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See rule 306.4.
308.3. Abilities that trigger on a creature attacking trigger only at the point the creature is declared as an
attacker. They will not trigger if a creature attacks and then that creature’s characteristics change to
match the ability’s trigger condition.
Example: A permanent has the ability “Whenever a green creature attacks, destroy that
creature at end of combat.” If a blue creature attacks and is later turned green, the ability
will not trigger.
308.4. If a creature is put into play attacking, its controller chooses which defending player or which planeswalker a defending player controls it’s attacking as it comes into play (unless the effect that put it into play specifies what it’s attacking). Such creatures are “attacking” but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, they never “attacked.”
308.5. If no creatures are declared as attackers or put into play attacking, skip the declare blockers and
combat damage steps.
309. Declare Blockers Step
309.1. As the declare blockers step begins, the defending player declares blockers (this game action
doesn’t use the stack). Then any abilities that triggered on blockers being declared go on the stack.
(See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may
play spells and abilities.
309.2. To declare blockers, the defending player follows the steps below, in order. If at any point during
the declaration of blockers, the defending player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed
below, the declaration was illegal; the game returns to the moment before the declaration (see rule
422, “Handling Illegal Actions,” and rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks”).
309.2a For each untapped creature the defending player controls, that player either chooses not to block with it, or chooses one creature for it to block that’s attacking him, her, or a planeswalker he or she controls. Then he or she determines whether this set of blocks is legal. (See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”)
309.2b If any of the creatures require paying costs to block, the defending player determines the
total cost to block. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents,
discarding cards, and so on. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes “locked in.” If effects
would change the total cost after this time, ignore this change.
309.2c If any of the costs require mana, the defending player then has a chance to play mana
abilities (see rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities”).
309.2d Once the player has enough mana in his or her mana pool, he or she pays all costs in any
order. Partial payments are not allowed.
309.2e Each chosen creature becomes a blocking creature, but only if it’s controlled by the
defending player. Each one is blocking the attacking creature chosen for it. It remains a blocking
creature until it’s removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first. See
rule 306.4.
309.2f An attacking creature with one or more creatures declared as blockers for it becomes a
blocked creature; one with no blockers becomes an unblocked creature. This remains unchanged
until the creature is removed from combat or the combat phase ends, whichever comes first.
(Some effects can change whether a creature is blocked or unblocked.)
309.3. Abilities that trigger on a creature blocking trigger only at the point the creature is declared as a
blocker. They will not trigger if a creature blocks, and then that creature’s characteristics change to
match the ability’s trigger condition.
309.4. Abilities that trigger on a creature becoming blocked trigger only at the first point the creature
becomes blocked that combat. They will trigger if a creature becomes blocked by a creature
declared as a blocker, by a creature that’s put into play as a blocker, or by an effect, but only if the
attacking creature hadn’t yet been blocked that combat. They will not trigger if a creature becomes
blocked, and then the blocking creature’s characteristics change to match the ability’s trigger
condition.
Example: A creature has the ability “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a white
creature, destroy that creature at end of combat.” If that creature is blocked by a black
creature that is later turned white, the ability will not trigger.
309.5. If a creature is put into play blocking, its controller chooses which attacking creature it’s blocking as it comes into play (unless the effect that put it into play specifies what it’s blocking). Such creatures are “blocking” but, for the purposes of trigger events and effects, they never “blocked.”
310. Combat Damage Step
310.1. As the combat damage step begins, the active player announces how each attacking creature will
assign its combat damage. Then the defending player announces how each blocking creature will
assign its combat damage. All assignments of combat damage go on the stack as a single object.
Then any abilities that triggered on damage being assigned go on the stack. (See rule 410,
“Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells
and abilities.
310.2. A player may divide a creature’s combat damage as he or she chooses among the legal
recipients. Dividing combat damage is subject to the following restrictions:
310.2a Each attacking creature and each blocking creature will assign combat damage equal to its
power. Creatures that would assign 0 or less damage this way don’t assign combat damage at
all.
310.2b An unblocked attacking creature that’s attacking a player will assign all its combat damage
to the defending player. An unblocked attacking creature that’s attacking a planeswalker will
assign all its combat damage to the planeswalker it’s attacking. If the creature isn’t currently
attacking anything (if, for example, it was attacking a planeswalker that has left play), it will
assign no combat damage.
310.2c A blocked creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the
creatures blocking it. If no creatures are currently blocking it (if, for example, they were
destroyed or removed from combat), it will assign no combat damage.
310.2d A blocking creature will assign combat damage, divided as its controller chooses, to the
attacking creatures it’s blocking. If it isn’t currently blocking any creatures (if, for example, they
were destroyed or removed from combat), it will assign no combat damage.
310.2e An effect that states a creature deals its combat damage in a different manner than normal
affects the assignment of combat damage.
310.3. Although combat-damage assignments go on the stack as an object, they aren’t spells or abilities,
so they can’t be countered.
310.4. Combat damage resolves as an object on the stack. When it resolves, it’s all dealt at once, as
originally assigned. The combat damage object is then removed from the stack and ceases to exist.
After combat damage finishes resolving, the active player gets priority.
310.4a Combat damage is dealt as it was originally assigned even if the creature dealing damage is
no longer in play, its power has changed, or the creature receiving damage has left combat.
310.4b The source of the combat damage is the creature as it currently exists, if it’s still in play. If
it’s no longer in play, its last known information is used to determine its characteristics.
310.4c If a creature or planeswalker that was assigned combat damage is no longer in play, or is
neither a creature nor planeswalker, the damage assigned to it isn’t dealt.
310.5. At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first
strike (see rule 502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28), creatures without first strike or double
strike don’t assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second
combat damage step (see rule 310.1) to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat
damage step, any attackers and blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the first step, plus any
creatures with double strike, assign their combat damage.
311. End of Combat Step
311.1. As the end of combat step begins, all “at end of combat” abilities trigger and go on the stack.
(See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may
play spells and abilities.
311.2. As soon as the end of combat step ends, all creatures and planeswalkers are removed from
combat. After the end of combat step ends, the combat phase is over and the postcombat main phase
begins.
312. End Phase
312.1. The end phase consists of two steps: end of turn and cleanup.
313. End of Turn Step
313.1. As the end of turn step begins, all abilities that trigger “at end of turn” go on the stack. (See rule
410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”) Then the active player gets priority and players may play
spells and abilities.
313.2. If “at end of turn”-triggered abilities are created or if cards with “at end of turn”-triggered
abilities come into play after preexisting ones have already gone on the stack at the beginning of the
end of turn step, those abilities won’t go on the stack until the next turn’s end phase. In other words,
the step doesn’t “back up” so new “at end of turn”-triggered abilities can go on the stack. This only
applies to triggered abilities that say “at end of turn.” It doesn’t apply to continuous effects whose
durations say “until end of turn” or “this turn.” (See rule 314, “Cleanup Step.”)
314. Cleanup Step
314.1. If the active player’s hand contains more cards than his or her maximum hand size (normally
seven), he or she discards enough cards to reduce the hand size to that number (this game action
doesn’t use the stack).
314.2. After discarding, the following actions happen simultaneously: all damage is removed from
permanents and all “until end of turn” and “this turn” effects end (this game action doesn’t use the
stack).
314.3. If the conditions for any state-based effects exist or if any triggered abilities are waiting to be put
onto the stack, the active player gets priority and players may play spells and abilities. Once the
stack is empty and all players pass, another cleanup step begins. Otherwise, no player receives
priority and the step ends.
4. Spells, Abilities, and Effects
400. General
400.1. An ability is something an object does or can do. Abilities generate effects. An object’s abilities
are defined in the object’s text box (if it has one) or by the effect that created the object. Abilities
can also be granted to objects by effects or rules. Reminder text and flavor text are not abilities.
Reminder text and flavor text always appear in italics.
400.2. Spells, activated abilities, and triggered abilities generate effects when they resolve. Static
abilities generate continuous effects. Text itself is never an effect.
401. Spells on the Stack
401.1. A card on the stack is a spell. As the first step of being played, the card becomes a spell and goes
on the stack from the zone it was played from (usually the player’s hand). (See rule 217.6, “Stack.”)
401.1a A copy of a spell is also a spell, even if it has no card associated with it.
401.2. A spell stops being a spell when it resolves (see rule 413, “Resolving Spells and Abilities”), is
countered (see rule 414, “Countering Spells and Abilities”), or otherwise leaves the stack.
Example: A played creature card is a creature spell until it resolves, is countered, or leaves
the stack.
401.3. Instant and sorcery spells have abilities, just like any other objects. These abilities are
instructions that are followed when the spells resolve, unless the instructions can only be applied at
some other time.
Example: Some abilities that are not followed when the spell resolves are activated abilities
or triggered abilities, any abilities that define the zone from which it can be played (see rule
401.4), any abilities that apply while the spell is in a zone from which it can be played (see
rule 401.5), or any abilities that apply while the spell is on the stack (see rule 401.6).
401.4. Any object can have static abilities that allow it to be played from a zone other than a player’s
hand. These abilities are active while the object is in that zone.
401.5. Any object can have static abilities that apply while the object is in a zone from which it can be
played. These include restrictions on playing the object and abilities that allow the object to be
played at a time that it otherwise could not or in a manner that it otherwise could not.
401.6. Any spell can have static abilities that apply while the spell is on the stack. These include, but
are not limited to, additional costs, alternative costs, and cost reductions. See rule 409, “Playing
Spells and Activated Abilities.”
401.7. As the final part of an instant or sorcery spell’s resolution, the card is put into its owner’s
graveyard. As the final part of an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker spell’s resolution,
the card becomes a permanent and is put into the in-play zone under the control of the spell’s
controller. (See rule 413, “Resolving Spells and Activated Abilities.”) If any spell is countered, the
card is put into its owner’s graveyard as part of the resolution of the countering spell or ability.
402. Abilities
402.1. An ability is text on an object that’s not reminder text or flavor text (see rule 400.1). The result
of following such an instruction is an effect. (See rule 416, “Effects.”) Abilities can affect the
objects they’re on; they can also affect other objects and/or players. Abilities can grant abilities to
other objects or to the objects they’re on; they do so when the words “has,” “have,” “gains,” or
“gain” are used.
402.2. There are three general categories of abilities: activated, triggered, and static. Activated and
triggered abilities can also be mana abilities. Abilities can generate one-shot effects or continuous
effects. Some effects are replacement effects or prevention effects.
402.3. Abilities can be beneficial or detrimental.
Example: “[This creature] can’t block” is an ability.
402.4. An additional cost or alternative cost to play a card is an ability of the card.
402.5. An ability isn’t a spell and therefore can’t be countered by anything that counters only spells.
Abilities can be countered by effects that specifically counter abilities, as well as by the rules (for
example, an ability with one or more targets is countered if all its targets become illegal).
402.6. Once activated or triggered, an ability exists independently of its source as an ability on the
stack. Destruction or removal of the source after that time won’t affect the ability. Note that some
abilities cause a source to do something (for example, “Prodigal Sorcerer deals 1 damage to target
creature or player”) rather than the ability doing anything directly. In these cases, any activated or
triggered ability that references information about the source because the effect needs to be divided
checks that information when the ability is put onto the stack. Otherwise, it will check that
information when it resolves. In both instances, if the source is no longer in play, its last known
information is used.
402.7. An object may have multiple abilities. Aside from certain defined abilities that may be strung
together on a single line (see rule 502, “Keyword Abilities”), each paragraph break in a card’s text
marks a separate ability. An object may also have multiple instances of the same ability. Each
instance functions independently. This may or may not produce more effects than a single instance;
refer to the specific ability for more information.
402.8. Abilities of an instant or sorcery usually function only while the object is on the stack. Abilities
of all other objects usually function only while that object is in play. The exceptions are as follows:
402.8a Characteristic-defining abilities function in all zones. (See rule 405.2.)
402.8b An ability that states which zones it functions in functions only from those zones.
402.8c An ability of an object that modifies what it costs to play functions on the stack.
402.8d An object’s ability that restricts or modifies how that object can be played functions in any
zone from which it could be played.
402.8e An object’s ability that modifies how it comes into play functions as that object is coming
into play. See rule 419.6i.
402.8f An object’s activated ability that has a cost that can’t be paid while the object is in play
functions from any zone in which its cost can be paid.
402.8g A trigger condition that can trigger only in a zone other than the in-play zone triggers from
that zone. Other trigger conditions of the same triggered ability may function in different zones.
Example: Absolver Thrull has the ability “When Absolver Thrull comes into play or the
creature it haunts is put into a graveyard, destroy target enchantment.” The first trigger
condition triggers from the in-play zone and the second trigger condition functions from
the removed-from-the-game zone. (See rule 502.51, “Haunt.”)
402.8h An ability whose cost or effect specifies that it moves the object it’s on out of a particular
zone functions only in that zone, unless that ability’s trigger condition, or a previous part of that
ability’s cost or effect, specifies that the object is put into that zone.
Example: Necrosavant says “{3}{B}{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Return Necrosavant from
your graveyard to play. Play this ability only during your upkeep.” A player may play
this ability only if Necrosavant is in his or her graveyard.
403. Activated Abilities
403.1. An activated ability is written as “[cost]: [effect].” The activation cost is everything before the
colon (:). An ability’s activation cost must be paid by the player who is playing it.
403.2. Only an object’s controller (or its owner, if it doesn’t have a controller) can play its activated
ability unless the object specifically says otherwise.
403.3. If an activated ability has a restriction on its use (for example, “Play this ability only once each
turn”), the restriction continues to apply to that object even if its controller changes.
403.4. A creature’s activated ability with the tap symbol ({T}) in its activation cost can’t be played
unless the creature has been under its controller’s control since the start of his or her most recent
turn. Ignore this rule for creatures with haste (see rule 502.5).
403.5. Activated abilities that read “Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery” mean the
player must follow the timing rules for playing a sorcery spell, though the ability isn’t actually a
sorcery. Activated abilities that read “Play this ability only any time you could play an instant”
mean the player must follow the timing rules for playing an instant spell, though the ability isn’t
actually an instant.
404. Triggered Abilities
404.1. A triggered ability begins with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” The phrase containing one
of these words is the trigger condition, which defines the trigger event.
404.2. Triggered abilities aren’t played. Instead, a triggered ability automatically “triggers” each time
its trigger event occurs. Once an ability has triggered, it goes on the stack the next time a player
would receive priority. See rule 408.1, “Timing, Priority, and the Stack,” and rule 410, “Handling
Triggered Abilities.”
404.3. A triggered ability may read “When/Whenever/At . . . , if [condition], [effect].” The ability
checks for the stated condition to be true when the trigger event occurs. If it is, the ability triggers.
On resolution, the ability rechecks the condition. If the condition isn’t true at either of those times,
the ability does nothing. This rule is referred to as the “intervening ‘if’ clause” rule. Note that the
word “if” has only its normal English meaning anywhere else in the text of a card; this rule only
applies to an “if” that immediately follows a trigger condition.
404.4. An effect may create a delayed triggered ability that can do something at a later time. A delayed
triggered ability will contain “when,” “whenever,” or “at,” although that word won’t usually begin
the ability.
404.4a Delayed triggered abilities come from spells or other abilities that create them on resolution.
That means a delayed triggered ability won’t trigger until it has actually been created, even if its
trigger event occurred just beforehand. Other events that happen earlier may make the trigger
event impossible.
Example: Part of an effect reads “When this creature leaves play,” but the creature in
question leaves play before the spell or ability creating the effect resolves. In this case,
the delayed ability never triggers.
Example: If an effect reads “When this creature becomes untapped” and the named
creature becomes untapped before the effect resolves, the ability waits for the next time
that creature untaps.
404.4b A delayed triggered ability will trigger only once—the next time its trigger event occurs—
unless it has a stated duration, such as “this turn.”
404.4c A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular object still affects it even if the object
changes characteristics.
Example: An ability that reads “Destroy that creature at end of turn” will destroy the
permanent even if it’s no longer a creature during the end of turn step.
404.4d A delayed triggered ability that refers to a particular permanent will fail if the permanent
leaves play (even if it returns again before the specified time). Similarly, abilities that create a
one-shot effect that applies to an object in a particular zone will fail if the object leaves that
zone.
Example: An ability that reads “Remove this creature from the game at end of turn”
won’t do anything if the creature leaves play before the end of turn step.
404.4e The source of a delayed triggered ability created by a spell is that spell. The source of a delayed
triggered ability created by another ability is the same as the source of that other ability. The
controller of a delayed triggered ability is the same as the controller of the spell or ability that
created it, even if that player no longer controls its source.
404.5. Some objects have a static ability that’s linked to a triggered ability. These objects combine both
abilities into one paragraph, with the static ability first, followed by the triggered ability. A very few
objects have triggered abilities which are written with the trigger condition in the middle of the
ability, rather than at the beginning.
Example: An ability that reads “Reveal the first card you draw each turn. Whenever you
reveal a basic land card this way, draw a card” is a static ability linked to a triggered
ability.
Example: An ability that reads “The controller of enchanted creature sacrifices it at the end
of his or her turn” is a triggered ability.
405. Static Abilities
405.1. A static ability does something all the time rather than being activated or triggered. The ability
isn’t played—it just “exists.” Such abilities apply only while the ability is on a permanent in play,
unless the ability is covered by rule 402.8.
405.2. Some objects have intrinsic static abilities that define the object’s colors, subtypes, power, or
toughness. These abilities are characteristic-defining abilities, and they function in all zones.
Abilities of an object that affect the characteristics of another object are not characteristic-defining
abilities. Neither are abilities that an object grants to itself, or abilities that set the values of such
characteristics only if certain conditions are met. See rule 201, “Characteristics,” and rule 418.5a.
406. Mana Abilities
406.1. A mana ability is either (a) an activated ability without a target that could put mana into a
player’s mana pool when it resolves or (b) a triggered ability without a target that triggers from a
mana ability and could produce additional mana. A mana ability can generate other effects at the
same time it produces mana.
406.2. Spells that put mana into a player’s mana pool aren’t mana abilities. They’re played and resolved
exactly like any other spells.
406.3. A mana ability remains a mana ability even if the game state doesn’t allow it to produce mana.
Example: A permanent has an ability that reads “{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each
creature you control.” This is still a mana ability even if you control no creatures or if the
permanent is already tapped.
406.4. A mana ability can be activated or triggered. Mana abilities are played and resolved like other
abilities, but they don’t go on the stack, so they can’t be countered or responded to. See rule 411,
“Playing Mana Abilities,” and rule 408.2, “Actions That Don’t Use the Stack.”
406.5. Abilities that produce mana but trigger from events other than playing mana abilities do use the
stack. So do abilities that don’t produce mana but trigger on playing mana abilities.
406.6. If a mana ability would produce one or more mana of an undefined type, it produces no mana
instead.
Example: If you control no lands, an ability that reads “{T}: Add to your mana pool one
mana of any type that a land you control could produce” will not produce any mana.
407. Adding and Removing Abilities
407.1. Effects can add or remove abilities of objects. An effect that adds an ability will state that the
object “gains” or “has” that ability. An effect that removes an ability will state that the object
“loses” that ability. If two or more effects add and remove the same ability, in general the most
recent one prevails. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”)
407.2. An effect that sets an object’s characteristic, or simply states a quality of that object, is different
from an ability granted by an effect. When an object “gains” or “has” an ability, that ability can be
removed by another effect. If an effect defines a characteristic of the object (“[permanent] is
[characteristic value]”), it’s not granting an ability. (See rule 405.2.)
Example: An effect reads, “Enchanted creature has ‘This creature is an artifact creature.’”
This effect grants an ability to the creature that can be removed by other effects. Another
effect reads, “Enchanted creature is an artifact creature.” This effect simply defines a
characteristic of the creature. It doesn’t grant an ability, so effects that would cause the
creature to lose its abilities wouldn’t cause the enchanted creature to stop being an artifact.
407.3. Effects that remove an ability remove all instances of it.
Example: If a creature with flying is enchanted with Flight, it has two instances of the flying
ability. A single effect that reads “Target creature loses flying” will remove both.
408. Timing of Spells and Abilities
408.1. Timing, Priority, and the Stack
408.1a Spells and activated abilities can be played only at certain times and follow a set of rules for
doing so.
408.1b Spells and activated abilities are played by players (if they choose) using a system of
priority, while other kinds of abilities and effects are automatically generated by the game rules.
Each time a player would get priority, all applicable state-based effects resolve first as a single
event (see rule 420, “State-Based Effects”). Then, if any new state-based effects have been
generated, they resolve as a single event. This process repeats until no more applicable state-
based effects are generated. Then triggered abilities are added to the stack (see rule 410,
“Handling Triggered Abilities”). These steps repeat in order until no further state-based effects
or triggered abilities are generated. Then the player who would have received priority does so
and may play a spell or ability, take a special action (such as playing a land), or pass, as
governed by the rules for that phase or step.
408.1c The active player gets priority at the beginning of most phases and steps, after any game
actions are dealt with and abilities that trigger at the beginning of that phase or step go on the
stack. No player gets priority during the untap step and players usually don’t get priority during
the cleanup step (see rule 314.3). The player with priority may play a spell or ability, take a
special action, or pass. If he or she plays a spell or ability, or takes a special action, the player
again receives priority; otherwise, the next player in turn order receives priority. If all players
pass in succession (that is, if all players pass without taking any actions in between passing), the
top object on the stack resolves, then the active player receives priority. If the stack is empty
when all players pass in succession, the phase or step ends and the next one begins.
408.1d A player may play an instant spell or an activated ability any time he or she has priority.
Spells other than instants may be played during a player’s main phase, when that player has
priority and the stack is empty.
408.1e When a spell is played, it goes on top of the stack. When an activated ability is played, it
goes on top of the stack.
408.1f Triggered abilities can trigger at any time, including during the playing or resolution of a
spell or another ability. However, nothing actually happens at the time the abilities trigger. Each
time a player would receive priority, each ability that has triggered is put on the stack (if it
hasn’t already been put on the stack). Then the player gets priority and may play spells or
abilities. (See rule 410, “Handling Triggered Abilities.”)
408.1g Combat damage goes on the stack once it’s been assigned. For more information, see rule
310, “Combat Damage Step.”
408.1h Static abilities aren’t played—they continuously affect the game. Priority doesn’t apply to
them. (See rule 405, “Static Abilities,” rule 418, “Continuous Effects,” and rule 419,
“Replacement and Prevention Effects.”)
408.1i Special actions don’t use the stack. The special actions are playing a land (see rule 408.2d),
turning a face-down creature face up (see rule 408.2h), ending continuous effects or stopping
delayed triggered abilities (see rule 408.2i), ignoring continuous effects (see rule 408.2j), and
removing a card with suspend in your hand from the game (see rule 408.2k).
408.2. Actions That Don’t Use the Stack
408.2a Effects don’t go on the stack; they’re the result of spells and abilities resolving. Effects may
create delayed triggered abilities, however, and these may go on the stack when they trigger (see
rule 404.4).
408.2b Static abilities continuously generate effects and don’t go on the stack.
408.2c State-based effects (see rule 420) resolve whenever a player would receive priority as long
as the required game condition is true.
408.2d Playing a land is a special action consisting of putting that land into play. (See rule 212.6, “Lands.”) A player can choose to perform this special action only during a main phase of his or her turn, when he or she has priority and the stack is empty. If a player had priority before playing a land, that player gets priority after this special action.
408.2e Mana abilities resolve immediately. If a mana ability produces both mana and another effect,
both the mana and the other effect happen immediately. If a player had priority before a mana
ability was played, that player gets priority after it resolves. (See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”)
408.2f Characteristic-defining abilities, such as “[This object] is red,” are simply read and followed
as applicable. (See also rule 405.2.)
408.2g Game actions don’t use the stack. The game actions are phasing in and out at the start of the
untap step (see rule 302.1), untapping at the start of the untap step (see rule 302.2), drawing a
card at the start of the draw step (see rule 304.1), declaring attackers at the start of the declare
attackers step (see rule 308.1), declaring blockers at the start of the declare blockers step (see
rule 309.1), the active player discarding down to his or her maximum hand size at the start of
the cleanup step (see rule 314.1), removing damage from permanents and ending “until end of
turn effects during the cleanup step (see rule 314.2), and mana burn as each phase ends (see rule
300.3).
408.2h The controller of a face-down permanent may turn it face up. This is a special action. (See
rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”) A player can turn a face-down permanent face
up only when he or she has priority. That player gets priority after this special action.
408.2i Some effects allow a player to take an action at a later time, usually to end a continuous
effect or to stop a delayed triggered ability. This is a special action. A player can end a
continuous effect or stop a delayed triggered ability only if the effect or ability allows it and
only when he or she has priority. The player who took the action gets priority after this special
action.
408.2j Some effects from static abilities allow a player to take an action to ignore the effect from
that ability for a duration. This is a special action. A player can take an action to ignore an effect
only when he or she has priority. The player who took the action gets priority after this special
action.
408.2k A player who has a card with suspend in his or her hand may remove that card from the
game. This is a special action. (See rule 502.59, “Suspend.”) A player can remove a card with
suspend in his or her hand from the game only when he or she has priority. That player gets
priority after this special action.
409. Playing Spells and Activated Abilities
409.1. Playing a spell or activated ability follows the steps listed below, in order. If, at any point during
the playing of a spell or ability, a player is unable to comply with any of the steps listed below, the
spell was played illegally; the game returns to the moment before that spell or ability was played
(see rule 422, “Handling Illegal Actions”). Announcements and payments can’t be altered after
they’ve been made.
409.1a The player announces that he or she is playing the spell or activated ability. It moves from
the zone it’s in to the stack and remains there until it’s countered or resolves. In the case of
spells, the physical card goes onto the stack. In the case of activated abilities, the ability goes
onto the stack without any card associated with it. If the ability is being played from a hidden
zone, the card with that ability is revealed. Each spell has all the characteristics of the card
associated with it. Each activated ability on the stack has the text of the ability that created it,
and no other characteristics. The controller of a spell is the player who played the spell. The
controller of an activated ability is the player who played the ability.
409.1b If the spell or ability is modal (uses the phrase “Choose one —,” “Choose two —,”or
“[specified player] chooses one —”), the player announces the mode choice. If the player
wishes to splice any cards onto the spell (see rule 502.40), he or she reveals those cards in his or
her hand. If the spell or ability has a variable mana cost (indicated by {X}) or some other
variable cost, the player announces the value of that variable at this time. If the spell or ability
has alternative, additional, or other special costs (such as buyback, kicker, or convoke costs), the
player announces his or her intentions to pay any or all of those costs (see rule 409.1f). You
can’t apply two alternative methods of playing or two alternative costs to a single spell or
ability. Previously made choices (such as choosing to play a spell with flashback from his or her
graveyard or choosing to play a creature with morph face down) may restrict the player’s
options when making these choices.
409.1c If the spell or ability requires any targets, the player first announces how many targets he or
she will choose (if the spell or ability has a variable number of targets), then announces the
targets themselves. A player can’t play a spell or ability unless he or she chooses the required
number of legal targets. The same target can’t be chosen multiple times for any one instance of
the word “target” on the spell or ability. If the spell or ability uses the word “target” in multiple
places, the same object, player, or zone can be chosen once for each instance of the word
“target” (as long as it fits the targeting criteria).
Example: If an ability reads “Tap two target creatures,” then the same target can’t be
chosen twice; the ability requires two different legal targets. An ability that reads
“Destroy target artifact and target land,” however, can target the same artifact land
twice because it uses the word “target” in multiple places.
409.1d If the spell or ability targets one or more targets only if an alternative, additional, or special
cost (such as a buyback or kicker cost) is paid for it, or if a particular mode is chosen for it, its
controller chooses those targets only if he or she announced the intention to pay that cost or
chose that mode. Otherwise, the spell or ability is played as though it did not have those targets.
409.1e If the spell or ability affects several targets in different ways, the player announces how it
will affect each target. If the spell or ability requires the player to divide or distribute an effect
(such as damage or counters) among one or more targets, or any number of untargeted objects or
players, the player announces the division. Each of these targets, objects, or players must
receive at least one of whatever is being divided.
409.1f The player determines the total cost of the spell or ability. Usually this is just the mana cost
(for spells) or activation cost (for abilities). Some cards list additional or alternative costs in
their text. Some effects may increase or reduce the cost to pay, or may provide other alternative
costs. Costs may include paying mana, tapping permanents, sacrificing permanents, discarding
cards, and so on. The total cost is the mana cost, activation cost, or alternative cost, plus all
additional costs and cost increases, and minus all cost reductions. If the mana component of the
total cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be {0}. It can’t be
reduced to less than {0}. Once the total cost is determined, it becomes “locked in.” If effects
would change the total cost after this time, they have no effect.
409.1g If the total cost includes a mana payment, the player then has a chance to play mana abilities
(see rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities”). Mana abilities must be played before costs are paid.
409.1h The player pays the total cost in any order. Partial payments are not allowed. Unpayable
costs can’t be paid.
Example: You play Death Bomb, which costs {3}{B} and has an additional cost of
sacrificing a creature. You sacrifice Thunderscape Familiar, whose effect makes your
black spells cost {1} less to play. Because a spell’s total cost is “locked in” before
payments are actually made, you pay {2}{B}, not {3}{B}, even though you’re sacrificing
the Familiar.
409.1i Once the steps described in 409.1a–h are completed, the spell or ability becomes played. Any
abilities that trigger on a spell or ability being played or put onto the stack trigger at this time. If
the spell or ability’s controller had priority before playing it, he or she gets priority.
409.2. Some spells and abilities specify that one of their controller’s opponents does something the
controller would normally do while it’s being played, such as choose a mode, choose targets, or
choose how the spell or ability will affect its targets. In these cases, the opponent does so when the
spell or ability’s controller normally would do so.
409.2a If there is more than one opponent who could make such a choice, the spell or ability’s
controller decides which of those opponents will make the choice.
409.2b If the spell or ability instructs its controller and another player to do something at the same
time as the spell or ability is being played, the spell’s controller goes first, then the other player.
This is an exception to rule 103.4.
409.3. Playing a spell or ability that alters costs won’t do anything to spells and abilities that are already
on the stack.
409.4. A player can’t begin to play a spell or activated ability that’s prohibited from being played by an
effect.
409.4a If an effect allows a card that’s prohibited from being played to be played face down, and
the face-down spell would not be prohibited, that spell can be played face down. See rule 504,
“Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”
410. Handling Triggered Abilities
410.1. Because they aren’t played, triggered abilities can trigger even when it isn’t legal to play spells
and abilities, and effects that prevent abilities from being played don’t affect them.
410.2. Whenever a game event or game state matches a triggered ability’s trigger event, that ability
triggers. When a phase or step begins, all abilities that trigger “at the beginning of” that phase or
step trigger. The ability is controlled by the player who controlled its source at the time it
triggered,unless it’s a delayed triggered ability. The controller of a delayed triggered ability is the
player who controlled the spell or ability that created it. The ability doesn’t do anything when it
triggers, but it’s automatically put on the stack by its controller as soon as a player would receive
priority. Each triggered ability on the stack has the text of the ability that created it, and no other
characteristics.
410.2a If a triggered ability’s trigger condition is met, but the object with that triggered ability is at
no time visible to all players, the ability does not trigger.
410.3. If multiple abilities have triggered since the last time a player received priority, each player, in
APNAP order, puts triggered abilities he or she controls on the stack in any order he or she chooses.
(See rule 103.4.) Then players once again check for and resolve state-based effects until none are
generated, then abilities that triggered during this process go on the stack. This process repeats until
no new state-based effects are generated and no abilities trigger. Then the appropriate player gets
priority.
410.4. When a triggered ability goes on the stack, the controller of the ability makes any choices that
would be required while playing an activated ability, following the same procedure (see rule 409,
“Playing Spells and Activated Abilities”). If no legal choice can be made (or if a rule or a
continuous effect otherwise makes the ability illegal), the ability is simply removed from the stack.
410.4a If a triggered ability is modal (that is, it uses the phrase “Choose one —” or “[specified
player] chooses one —”), its controller announces the mode choice when he or she puts the
ability on the stack. If one of the modes would be illegal to play (due to an inability to choose
legal targets, for example), that mode can’t be chosen. If no mode can be chosen, the ability is
removed from the stack.
410.5. Some triggered abilities’ effects are optional (they contain “may,” as in “At the beginning of
your upkeep, you may draw a card”). These abilities go on the stack when they trigger, regardless of
whether their controller intends to exercise the ability’s option or not. The choice is made when the
ability resolves. Likewise, triggered abilities that have an effect “unless” something is true or a
player chooses to do something will go on the stack normally; the “unless” part of the ability is
dealt with when the ability resolves.
410.6. An ability triggers only once each time its trigger event occurs. However, it can trigger
repeatedly if one event contains multiple occurrences. See also rule 410.9.
Example: A permanent has an ability whose trigger condition reads, “Whenever a land is
put into a graveyard from play, . . . .” If someone plays a spell that destroys all lands, the
ability will trigger once for each land put into the graveyard during the spell’s resolution.
410.7. An ability triggers only if its trigger event actually occurs. An event that’s prevented or replaced
won’t trigger anything.
Example: An ability that triggers on damage being dealt won’t trigger if all the damage is
prevented.
410.8. Triggered abilities with a condition directly following the trigger event (for example,
“When/Whenever/At [trigger], if [condition], [effect]”), check for the condition to be true as part of
the trigger event; if it isn’t, the ability doesn’t trigger. The ability checks the condition again on
resolution. If it’s not satisfied, the ability does nothing. Note that this mirrors the check for legal
targets. Note that this rule doesn’t apply to any triggered ability with an “if” condition elsewhere
within its text. This rule is referred to as the “intervening ‘if’ clause” rule.
410.9. Some abilities trigger when creatures block or are blocked in combat. (See rules 306–311 and
rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”) They may trigger once or repeatedly, depending on the
wording of the ability.
410.9a An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] blocks, . . .” triggers only once each combat
for that creature, even if it blocks multiple creatures. It triggers only if the creature is declared as
a blocker.
410.9b An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] blocks a creature, . . .” triggers once for each
attacking creature the creature with the ability blocks. It triggers only if the creature is declared
as a blocker.
410.9c An ability that reads “Whenever [this creature] becomes blocked, . . .” triggers only once
each combat for that creature, even if it’s blocked by multiple creatures. It will also trigger if an
effect causes a creature to block the attacking creature, but only if it hadn’t already been blocked
that combat. It will trigger if the creature becomes blocked by an effect rather than a creature.
410.9d An ability that reads “Whenever a creature blocks [this creature], . . .” triggers once for each
creature that blocks the named creature. It will also trigger if an effect causes a creature to block
the attacking creature, even if it had already been blocked that combat. It won’t trigger if the
creature becomes blocked by an effect rather than a creature.
410.9e If an ability triggers when a creature blocks or becomes blocked by a particular number of
creatures, the ability triggers if the creature blocks or is blocked by that many creatures when
blockers are declared. Effects that add or remove blockers can also cause such abilities to
trigger. This applies to abilities that trigger on a creature blocking or being blocked by at least a
certain number of creatures as well.
410.10. Trigger events that involve objects changing zones are called “zone-change triggers.” Many
abilities with zone-change triggers attempt to do something to that object after it changes zones.
During resolution, these abilities look for the object in the zone that it moved to. If the object is
unable to be found in the zone it went to, the part of the ability attempting to do something to the
object will fail to do anything. The ability could be unable to find the object because the object
never entered the specified zone, because it left the zone before the ability resolved, or because it is
in a zone that is hidden from a player, such as a library or an opponent’s hand. (This rule applies
even if the object leaves the zone and returns again before the ability resolves.) The most common
zone-change triggers are comes-into-play triggers and leaves-play triggers.
410.10a Comes-into-play abilities trigger when a permanent enters the in-play zone. These are
written, “When [this object] comes into play, . . . “ or “Whenever a [type] comes into play, . . .”
Each time an event puts one or more permanents into play, all permanents in play (including the
newcomers) are checked for any comes-into-play triggers that match the event.
410.10b Continuous effects that modify characteristics of a permanent do so the moment the
permanent is in play (and not before then). The permanent is never in play with its unmodified
characteristics. Continuous effects don’t apply before the permanent is in play, however (see
rule 410.10e).
Example: If an effect reads “All lands are creatures” and a land card is played, the
effect makes the land card into a creature the moment it enters play, so it would trigger
abilities that trigger when a creature comes into play. Conversely, if an effect reads “All
creatures lose all abilities” and a creature card with a comes-into-play triggered ability
enters play, that effect will cause it to lose its abilities the moment it enters play, so the
comes-into-play ability won’t trigger.
410.10c Leaves-play abilities trigger when a permanent leaves the in-play zone. These are written
as, but aren’t limited to, “When [this object] leaves play, . . .” or “Whenever [something] is put
into a graveyard from play, . . . .” An ability that attempts to do something to the card that left
play checks for it only in the first zone that it went to.
410.10d Normally, objects that exist immediately after an event are checked to see if the event
matched any trigger conditions. Continuous effects that exist at that time are used to determine
what the trigger conditions are and what the objects involved in the event look like. However,
some triggered abilities must be treated specially because the object with the ability may no
longer be in play, may have moved to a hand or library, or may no longer be controlled by the
appropriate player. The game has to “look back in time” to determine if these abilities trigger.
Abilities that trigger specifically when an object leaves play, when an object is put into a hand
or library, or when a player loses control of an object will trigger based on their existence, and
the appearance of objects, prior to the event rather than afterward.
Example: Two creatures are in play along with an artifact that has the ability
“Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you gain 1 life.” Someone plays
a spell that destroys all artifacts, creatures, and enchantments. The artifact’s ability
triggers twice, even though the artifact goes to its owner’s graveyard at the same time as
the creatures.
410.10e Some permanents have text that reads “[This permanent] comes into play with . . . ,” “As
[this permanent] comes into play . . . ,” “[This permanent] comes into play as . . . ,” or “[This
permanent] comes into play tapped.” Such text is a static ability—not a triggered ability—
whose effect occurs as part of the event that puts the permanent into play.
410.10f Some Auras have triggered abilities that trigger on the enchanted permanent leaving play.
These triggered abilities can track the Aura to its owner’s graveyard in addition to tracking the
enchanted permanent to whatever zone it moved to.
410.11. Some triggered abilities trigger on a game state, such as a player controlling no permanents of a
particular card type, rather than triggering when an event occurs. These abilities trigger as soon as
the game state matches the condition. They’ll go onto the stack at the next available opportunity.
These are called state triggers. (Note that state triggers aren’t the same as state-based effects.) A
state-triggered ability doesn’t trigger again until the ability has resolved, has been countered, or has
otherwise left the stack. Then, if the object with the ability is still in the same zone and the game
state still matches its trigger condition, the ability will trigger again.
Example: A permanent’s ability reads, “Whenever you have no cards in hand, draw a
card.” If its controller plays the last card from his or her hand, the ability will trigger once
and won’t trigger again until it has resolved. If its controller plays a spell that reads
“Discard your hand, then draw that many cards,” the ability will trigger during the spell’s
resolution because the player’s hand was momentarily empty.
411. Playing Mana Abilities
411.1. To play a mana ability, the player announces that he or she is playing it and pays the activation
cost, following the steps in rules 409.1b–i. It resolves immediately after it is played and doesn’t go
on the stack. (See rule 408.2e.)
411.2. A player may play an activated mana ability whenever he or she has priority, or whenever he or
she is playing a spell or activated ability that requires a mana payment. A player may also play one
whenever a rule or effect asks for a mana payment, even in the middle of playing or resolving a
spell or ability.
411.3. Triggered mana abilities trigger when an activated mana ability is played. These abilities resolve
immediately after the mana ability that triggered them, without waiting for priority. If an activated
or triggered ability produces both mana and another effect, both the mana and the other effect
resolve immediately.
Example: An enchantment reads, “Whenever a player taps a land for mana, that player
adds one mana of that type to his or her mana pool.” If a player taps lands for mana while
playing a spell, the additional mana is added to the player’s mana pool immediately and can
be used to pay for the spell.
411.3a If a triggered mana ability adds mana “of the same type” or “of the same color” to a player’s
mana pool and the mana ability that triggered it produced more than one type or color of mana,
the player to whose mana pool the mana is being added chooses which type or color of mana the
triggered ability adds.
412. Handling Static Abilities
412.1. A static ability may generate a continuous effect or a prevention or replacement effect. These
effects last as long as the object with the static ability remains in the appropriate zone.
412.2. Many Auras, Equipment, and Fortifications have static abilities that modify the object they’re
attached to, but those abilities don’t target that object. If an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification is
moved to a different object, the ability stops applying to the original object and starts modifying the
new one.
412.3. Some static abilities apply while a spell is on the stack. These are often abilities that refer to
countering the spell. Also, abilities that say “As an additional cost to play . . . ,” “You may pay
[cost] rather than pay [this object]’s mana cost,” and “You may play [this object] without paying its
mana cost” work while a spell is on the stack.
412.4. Some static abilities apply while a card is in any zone that you could play it from (usually your
hand). These are limited to those that read, “You may play [this card] . . . ,” “You can’t play [this
card] . . . ,” and “Play [this card] only . . . .”
412.5. Unlike spells and other kinds of abilities, static abilities can’t use an object’s last known
information for purposes of determining how their effects are applied.
413. Resolving Spells and Abilities
413.1. Each time all players pass in succession, the object (a spell, an ability, or combat damage) on top
of the stack resolves. (See rule 416, “Effects.”)
413.2. Resolution of a spell or ability may involve several steps. These steps are followed in the order
listed below.
413.2a If the spell or ability specifies targets, it checks whether the targets are still legal. A target
that’s moved out of the zone it was in when it was targeted is illegal. Other changes to the game
state may cause a target to no longer be legal; for example, its characteristics may have changed
or an effect may have changed the text of the spell. If the source of an ability has left the zone it
was in, its last known information is used during this process to determine its characteristics.
The spell or ability is countered if all its targets, for every instance of the word “target,” are now
illegal. If the spell or ability is not countered, it will resolve normally, affecting only the targets
that are still legal. If a target is illegal, the spell or ability can’t perform any actions on it or
make the target perform any actions.
Example: Aura Blast is a white instant that reads, “Destroy target enchantment. Draw a
card.” If the enchantment isn’t a legal target during Aura Blast’s resolution (say, if it
has gained protection from white or left play), then Aura Blast is countered. Its
controller doesn’t draw a card.
Example: Plague Spores reads, “Destroy target nonblack creature and target land.
They can’t be regenerated.” Suppose the same animated land is chosen both as the
nonblack creature and as the land, and the color of the creature land is changed to black
before Plague Spores resolves. Plagues Spores isn’t countered because the black
creature land is still a legal target for the “target land” part of the spell.
413.2b The controller of the spell or ability follows its instructions in the order written. However,
replacement effects may modify these actions. In some cases, later text on the card may modify
the meaning of earlier text (for example, “Destroy target creature. It can’t be regenerated” or
“Counter target spell. If that spell is countered this way, put it on top of its owner’s library
instead of into its owner’s graveyard.”) Don’t just apply effects step by step without thinking in
these cases—read the whole text and apply the rules of English to the text.
413.2c If an effect offers any choices other than choices already made as part of playing the spell or
ability, the player announces these while applying the effect. The player can’t choose an option
that’s illegal or impossible. (For example, a player can’t avoid the consequences of not taking an
optional action if he or she can’t meet all the immediate requirements of that action.) Drawing a
card is never considered an impossible action, even if there are no cards in the affected player's
library.
Example: A spell’s instruction reads, “You may sacrifice a creature. If you don’t, you
lose 4 life.” A player who controls no creatures can’t choose the sacrifice option.
413.2d Some spells and abilities have multiple steps or actions, denoted by separate sentences or
clauses, that involve multiple players. In these cases, the choices for the first action are made in
APNAP order, and then the first action is processed simultaneously. Then the choices for the
second action are made in APNAP order, and then that action is processed simultaneously, and
so on. See rule 103.4.
413.2e If an effect gives a player the option to pay mana, he or she may play mana abilities before
taking that action. If an effect specifically instructs or allows a player to play a spell during
resolution, he or she does so by putting that spell on top of the stack, then continuing to play it
by following the steps in rules 409.1a–i, except no player receives priority after it’s played. The
currently resolving spell or ability then continues to resolve, which may include playing other
spells this way. No other spells or abilities can normally be played during resolution.
413.2f If an effect requires information from the game (such as the number of creatures in play), the
answer is determined only once, when the effect is applied. If the effect requires information
from a specific object, including the source of the ability itself, the effect uses the current
information of that object if it hasn’t changed zones; otherwise, the effect uses the last known
information the object had before leaving the zone it was expected to be in. There are two
exceptions: (1) if an effect deals damage divided among some number of creatures or players,
the amount and division were determined as the spell or ability was put into the stack (see rule
402.6), and (2) static abilities can’t use last known information (see rule 412.5). If the ability
text states that an object does something, it’s the object as it exists—or as it most recently
existed—that does it, not the ability.
413.2g If an effect refers to certain characteristics, it checks only for the value of the specified
characteristics, regardless of any related ones an object may also have.
Example: An effect that reads “Destroy all black creatures” destroys a white-and-black
creature, but one that reads “Destroy all nonblack creatures” doesn’t.
413.2h If an ability’s effect refers to a specific untargeted object that has been previously referred to
by that ability’s cost or trigger condition, it still affects that object even if the object has changed
characteristics.
Example: Wall of Tears says “Whenever Wall of Tears blocks a creature, return that
creature to its owner’s hand at end of combat.” If Wall of Tears blocks a creature, then
that creature ceases to be a creature before the triggered ability resolves, the permanent
will still be returned to its owner’s hand.
413.2i A spell is put into play from the stack under the control of the spell’s controller (for
permanents) or is put into its owner’s graveyard from the stack (for instants and sorceries) as the
final step of the spell’s resolution. An ability is removed from the stack and ceases to exist as
the final step of its resolution.
413.2j If an effect could result in a tie, the text of the spell or ability that created the effect will
specify what to do in the event of a tie. The Magic game has no default for ties.
414. Countering Spells and Abilities
414.1. To counter a spell is to move the spell from the stack to its owner’s graveyard. Countering an
ability removes it from the stack. Spells and abilities that are countered don’t resolve and none of
their effects occur.
414.2. The player who played the countered spell or ability doesn’t get a “refund” of any costs that
were paid.
415. Targeted Spells and Abilities
415.1. An instant or sorcery spell is targeted if the text that will be followed when it resolves uses the
phrase “target [something],” where the “something” is a phrase that describes an object, player, or
zone. (If an activated or triggered ability of an instant or sorcery uses the word target, that ability is
targeted, but the spell is not.)
Example: A sorcery card has the ability “When you cycle this card, target creature gets -1/-
1 until end of turn.” This triggered ability is targeted, but that doesn’t make the card it’s on
targeted.
415.2. An activated or triggered ability is targeted if it uses the phrase “target [something],” where the
“something” is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone.
415.3. Aura spells are always targeted. An Aura’s target is specified by its enchant keyword ability (see
rule 502.45, “Enchant”). An Aura permanent doesn’t target anything; only the spell is targeted. An
activated or triggered ability of an Aura permanent can be targeted.
Neither Equipment spells nor Equipment permanents target anything. The equip ability is
targeted; see rule 502.33, “Equip.” An activated or triggered ability of an Equipment permanent can
be targeted.
Neither Fortification spells nor Fortification permanents target anything. The fortify ability is
targeted; see rule 502.65, “Fortify.” An activated or triggered ability of a Fortification permanent
can be targeted.
415.4. Spells and abilities that can have zero or more targets are targeted only if one or more targets
have been chosen for them.
415.5. Only permanents are legal targets for spells and abilities, unless a spell or ability (a) specifies
that it can target an object in another zone or a player or (b) targets an object that can’t exist in the
in-play zone, such as a spell or ability.
415.6. A spell or ability on the stack is an illegal target for itself.
415.7. Changing Targets
415.7a The target of a spell or ability can change only to another legal target. If the target can’t be
changed to another legal target, the original target is unchanged.
415.7b Modal spells and abilities may have different targeting requirements for each mode.
Changing a spell or ability’s target can’t change its mode.
415.7c The word “you” in an object’s text isn’t a target.
416. Effects
416.1. When a spell or ability resolves, it may create one or more one-shot or continuous effects. Static
abilities may create one or more continuous effects. Some effects are replacement effects or
prevention effects. State-based effects are not created by spells or abilities; they are generated by
specific rules of the game (see rule 420).
416.2. Effects apply only to permanents unless the instruction’s text states otherwise or they clearly can
apply only to objects in one or more other zones.
Example: An effect that changes all lands into creatures won’t alter land cards in players’
graveyards. But an effect that says spells cost more to play will apply only to spells on the
stack, since a spell is always on the stack while you are playing it.
416.3. If an effect attempts to do something impossible, it does only as much as possible.
Example: If a player is holding only one card, an effect that reads “Discard two cards”
causes him or her to discard only that card. If an effect moves cards out of the library (as
opposed to drawing), it moves as many as possible.
417. One-Shot Effects
417.1. A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn’t have a duration. Examples include
damage dealing, destruction of permanents, and moving objects between zones.
417.2. Some one-shot effects instruct a player to do something later in the game (usually at a specific
time) rather than when they resolve. This kind of effect actually creates a new ability that waits to
be triggered. (See rule 404.4.)
418. Continuous Effects
418.1. A continuous effect modifies characteristics of objects, modifies control of objects, or affects
players or the rules of the game, for a fixed or indefinite period. A continuous effect may be
generated by the resolution of a spell or ability or by a static ability of an object.
418.2. Continuous effects that modify characteristics of permanents do so simultaneously with the
permanent coming into play. They don’t wait until the permanent is in play and then change it.
Because such effects apply as the permanent comes into play, apply them before determining
whether the permanent will cause an ability to trigger when it comes into play.
418.3. Continuous Effects from Spells or Abilities
418.3a A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability lasts as long as stated by
the spell or ability creating it (such as “until end of turn”). If no duration is stated, it lasts until
the end of the game.
418.3b The set of objects that are affected by continuous effects from spells, activated abilities, and
triggered abilities that modify the characteristics or change the controller of those objects is
determined when that continuous effect begins. After that point, the set won’t change. Note that
these work differently than continuous effects from static abilities. Continuous effects that don’t
modify characteristics or change the controller of objects modify the rules of the game, so they
can affect objects that weren’t affected when the continuous effect began.
Example: An effect that reads “All white creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn” gives
the bonus to all permanents that are white creatures when the spell or ability resolves—
even if they change color later—and doesn’t affect those that come into play or turn
white afterward.
Example: An effect that reads “Prevent all damage creatures would deal this turn”
doesn’t modify any object’s characteristics, so it’s modifying the rules of the game. That
means the effect will apply even to damage from creatures that weren’t in play when the
continuous effect began. It also affects damage from permanents that become creatures
later in the turn.
418.3c If a resolving spell or ability that creates a continuous effect contains a variable, the value of
that variable is determined only once, on resolution. See rule 413.2f.
418.3d Some effects from activated or triggered abilities have durations worded “as long as . . . .” If
the “as long as” duration ends between the end of playing the activated ability or putting the
triggered ability onto the stack and the moment when the effect would first be applied, the effect
does nothing. It doesn’t start and immediately stop again, and it doesn’t last forever.
Example: Endoskeleton is an artifact with an activated ability that reads “{2}, {T}:
Target creature gets +0/+3 as long as Endoskeleton remains tapped.” If you play this
ability and then Endoskeleton becomes untapped before the ability resolves, it does
nothing, because its duration—remaining tapped—was over before the effect began.
418.4. Continuous Effects from Static Abilities
418.4a A continuous effect generated by a static ability isn’t “locked in”; it applies at any given
moment to whatever its text indicates.
418.4b The effect applies at all times that the permanent generating it is in play or the object
generating it is in the appropriate zone.
Example: A permanent with the static ability “All white creatures get +1/+1” generates
an effect that continuously gives +1/+1 to each white creature in play. If a creature
becomes white, it gets this bonus; a creature that stops being white loses it. A creature
spell that would normally create a 1/1 white creature instead creates a 2/2 white
creature. The creature doesn’t come into play as 1/1 and then change to 2/2.
418.5. Interaction of Continuous Effects
418.5a The values of an object’s characteristics are determined by starting with the actual object,
then applying continuous effects in a series of layers in the following order: (1) copy effects (see
rule 503, “Copying Objects”); (2) control-changing effects; (3) text-changing effects; (4) type-
changing effects (which includes effects that change an object’s card type, subtype, and/or
supertype); (5) all other continuous effects, except those that change power and/or toughness;
and (6) power- and/or toughness-changing effects.
Inside each layer from 1 through 5, apply effects from characteristic-defining abilities first,
then all other effects in timestamp order. Inside layer 6, apply effects in a series of sublayers in
the following order: (6a) effects from characteristic-defining abilities; (6b) all other effects not
specifically applied in 6c, 6d, or 6e; (6c) changes from counters; (6d) effects from static abilities
that modify power and/or toughness but don’t set power and/or toughness to a specific number
or value; and (6e) effects that switch a creature’s power and toughness. Within each sublayer,
apply effects in timestamp order. Note that dependency may alter the order in which effects are
applied within a layer or sublayer. See also the rules for timestamp order and dependency (rules
418.5b–418.5g).
Example: Crusade is an enchantment that reads “White creatures get +1/+1.” Crusade
and a 2/2 black creature are in play. If an effect then turns the creature white (layer 5),
it gets +1/+1 from Crusade (layer 6d), becoming 3/3. If the creature’s color is later
changed to red (layer 5), Crusade’s effect stops applying to it, and it will return to being
a 2/2.
Example: Gray Ogre, a 2/2 creature, is in play. An effect puts a +1/+1 counter on it
(layer 6c), making it 3/3. An effect that says “Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of
turn” is applied to it (layer 6b), making it 7/7. An enchantment that says “Creatures you
control get +0/+2” enters play (layer 6d), making it a 7/9. An effect that says “Target
creature becomes 0/1 until end of turn” is applied to it (layer 6b), making it a 1/4 (0/1,
plus +1/+1 from the counter, plus +0/+2 from the enchantment).
418.5b If an effect should be applied in different layers, the parts of the effect each apply in their
appropriate layers. If an effect starts to apply in one layer, it will continue to be applied to the
same set of objects in each other applicable layer, even if the ability generating the effect is
removed during this process.
Example: An effect that reads “Wild Mongrel gets +1/+1 and becomes the color of your
choice until end of turn” is both a power- and toughness-changing effect and an “other”
kind of effect. The “becomes the color of your choice” part is applied in layer 5, and
then the “gets +1/+1” part is applied in layer 6.
Example: Grab the Reins has an effect that reads “Until end of turn, you gain control of
target creature and it gains haste.” This is both a control-changing effect and an
“other” effect. The “you gain control” part is applied in layer 2, and then the “it gains
haste” part is applied in layer 5.
Example: An effect that reads “All noncreature artifacts become 2/2 artifact creatures
until end of turn” is both a type-changing effect and a power- and toughness-setting
effect. The type-changing effect is applied to all noncreature artifacts in layer 4 and the
power- and toughness-setting effect is applied to those same permanents in layer 6, even
though those permanents aren’t noncreature artifacts by then.
Example: Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, is in play. An effect that says “Until end of turn,
target land becomes a 3/3 creature that’s still a land” is applied to it (layers 4 and 6b).
An effect that says “Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn” is applied to it (layer
6b), making it a 4/4 land creature. Then you activate Svogthos’s ability (“Until end of
turn, Svogthos, the Restless Tomb becomes a black and green Plant Zombie creature
with ‘This creature’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of creature
cards in your graveyard.’ It’s still a land.”) while you have ten creature cards in your
graveyard (layers 4, 5, and 6b). It becomes a 10/10 land creature. If a creature card
enters or leaves your graveyard, Svogthos’s power and toughness will be modified
accordingly. If the first effect is applied to it again, it will become a 3/3 land creature
again.
418.5c An effect is said to “depend on” another if (a) it’s applied in the same layer (and, if
applicable, sublayer) as the other effect (see rule 418.5a); (b) applying the other would change
the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of the things
it applies to; and (c) neither effect is from a characteristic-defining ability. Otherwise, the effect
is considered to be independent of the other effect.
418.5d An effect dependent on one or more other effects waits to apply until just after all of those
effects have been applied. If multiple dependent effects would apply simultaneously in this way,
they’re applied in “timestamp order” relative to each other. If several dependent effects form a
dependency loop, then this rule is ignored and the effects in the dependency loop are applied in
timestamp order.
418.5e An object’s timestamp is the time it entered the zone it’s currently in, with three exceptions:
(a) If two or more objects enter a zone (or zones) simultaneously, the active player determines
their timestamp order at the time they enter that zone. (b) Whenever an Aura, Equipment, or
Fortification becomes attached to an object or player, the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification
receives a new timestamp. (c) Permanents that phase in keep the same timestamps they had
when they phased out.
418.5f A continuous effect generated by a static ability has the same timestamp as the object the
static ability is on, or the timestamp of the effect that created the ability, whichever is later.
418.5g A continuous effect generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receives a timestamp at
the time it’s created.
418.5h One continuous effect can override another. Sometimes the results of one effect determine
whether another effect applies or what another effect does.
Example: Two Auras are played on the same creature: “Enchanted creature gains
flying” and “Enchanted creature loses flying.” Neither of these depends on the other,
since nothing changes what they affect or what they’re doing to it. Applying them in
timestamp order means the one that was generated last “wins.” It’s irrelevant whether
an effect is temporary (such as “Target creature loses flying until end of turn”) or
global (such as “All creatures lose flying”).
Example: One effect reads, “White creatures get +1/+1,” and another, “Enchanted
creature is white.” The enchanted creature gets +1/+1 from the first effect, regardless of
its previous color.
418.5i Some effects switch a creature’s power and toughness. When they’re applied, they take the
value of power and apply it to the object’s toughness, and take the object’s toughness and apply
it to the object’s power. These effects are applied after all other effects that affect power and
toughness. (See rule 418.5a.)
Example: A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the
creature’s power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. A new effect gives
the creature +5/+0. Its “unswitched” power and toughness would be 6/4, so its actual
power and toughness is 4/6.
Example: A 1/3 creature is given +0/+1 by an effect. Then another effect switches the
creature’s power and toughness. Its new power and toughness is 4/1. If the +0/+1 effect
ends before the switch effect ends, the creature becomes a 3/1.
418.5j Some continuous effects affect players rather than objects. For example, an effect might give
a player protection from red. All such effects are applied in timestamp order after the
determination of objects’ characteristics. See also the rules for timestamp order and dependency
(rules 418.5b–418.5g).
418.5k Some continuous effects affect game rules rather than objects. For example, effects may
modify a player’s maximum hand size. These effects are applied after all other continuous
effects have been applied. Continuous effects that affect the costs of spells or abilities are
applied according to the order specified in rule 409.1f. All other such effects are applied in
timestamp order. See also the rules for timestamp order and dependency (rules 418.5b–g).
418.6. Text-Changing Effects
418.6a An effect that changes the text of an object changes only those words that are used in the
correct way (for example, a Magic color word being used as a color word, a land type word
used as a land type, or a creature type word used as a creature type). The effect can’t change a
proper noun, such as a card name, even if that proper noun contains a word or a series of letters
that is the same as a Magic color word, basic land type, or creature type.
418.6b Effects that add or remove abilities don’t change the text of the objects they affect, so any
abilities that are granted to an object can’t be changed by effects that change the text of that
object.
418.6c Most spells and abilities that create creature tokens use creature types to define both the
creature types and the names of the tokens. These words can be changed, because they are being
used as creature types, even though they’re also being used as names.
418.6d A creature token’s creature type and rules text are defined by the spell or ability that created
the token. These characteristics can be changed by text-changing effects.
419. Replacement and Prevention Effects
419.1. Replacement and prevention effects are continuous effects that watch for a particular event to
happen and then completely or partially replace that event. These effects act like “shields” around
whatever they’re affecting.
419.1a Effects that use the word “instead” are replacement effects. Most replacement effects use the
word “instead” to indicate what events will be replaced with other events and use the word
“skip” to indicate what events, steps, phases, or turns will be replaced with nothing.
419.1b Effects that read “[This permanent] comes into play with . . . ,” “As [this permanent] comes
into play . . . ,” or “[This permanent] comes into play as . . . ” are replacement effects.
419.1c Continuous effects that read “[This permanent] comes into play . . .” or “[Objects] come into
play . . .” are replacement effects.
419.1d Effects that use the word “prevent” are prevention effects. Prevention effects use “prevent”
to indicate what events will not occur.
419.1e Effects that read “As [this permanent] is turned face up . . . ,” are replacement effects.
419.2. Replacement and prevention effects apply continuously as events happen—they aren’t locked in
ahead of time.
419.3. There are no special restrictions on playing a spell or ability that generates a replacement or
prevention effect. Such effects last until they’re used up or their duration has expired.
419.4. Replacement or prevention effects must exist before the appropriate event occurs—they can’t
“go back in time” and change something that’s already happened. Usually spells and abilities that
generate these effects are played in response to whatever would produce the event and thus resolve
before that event would occur.
Example: A player can play a regeneration ability in response to a spell that would destroy
a creature he or she controls.
419.5. If an event is prevented or replaced, it never happens. A modified event occurs instead, which
may in turn trigger abilities. Note that the modified event may contain instructions that can’t be
carried out, in which case the player simply ignores the impossible instruction.
419.5a If a source would deal 0 damage, it does not deal damage at all. That means abilities that
trigger on damage being dealt won’t trigger. It also means that replacement effects that increase
damage dealt have no event to replace, so they have no effect.
419.5b Some abilities read, “you may [X]. If you do, [Y].” An “if you do” clause that follows a
“you may [X]” clause refers to choosing to do the event X, regardless of what events actually
occur as a result of that decision. If X is replaced entirely or in part by a different event, the “if
you do” clause refers to the event that replaced X.
419.6. Replacement Effects
419.6a A replacement effect doesn’t invoke itself repeatedly and gets only one opportunity for each
event.
Example: A player controls two permanents, each with an ability that reads “If a
creature you control would deal damage to a creature or player, it deals double that
damage to that creature or player instead.” A creature that normally deals 2 damage
will deal 8 damage—not just 4, and not an infinite amount.
419.6b Regeneration is a destruction-replacement effect. The word “instead” doesn’t appear on the
card but is implicit in the definition of regeneration. “Regenerate [permanent]” means “The next
time [permanent] would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if
it’s in combat) remove it from combat.” Abilities that trigger from damage being dealt still
trigger even if the permanent regenerates.
419.6c Some effects replace damage dealt to one creature, planeswalker, or player with the same
damage dealt to another creature, planeswalker, or player; such effects are called “redirection”
effects. If either creature or planewalker is no longer in play when the damage would be
redirected, or is no longer a creature or planeswalker when the damage would be redirected, the
effect does nothing.
419.6d Some spells and abilities replace part or all of their own effect(s) when they resolve. Such
effects are called self-replacement effects. When applying replacement effects to an event, apply
self-replacement effects first, then apply other replacement effects.
419.6e Skipping an action, step, phase, or turn is a replacement effect. “Skip [something]” is the
same as “Instead of doing [something], do nothing.” Once a step, phase, or turn has started, it
can no longer be skipped—any skip effects will wait until the next occurrence.
419.6f Anything scheduled for a skipped step, phase, or turn won’t happen. Anything scheduled for
the “next” occurrence of something waits for the first occurrence that isn’t skipped. If two
effects each cause a player to skip his or her next occurrence, that player must skip the next two;
one effect will be satisfied in skipping the first occurrence, while the other will remain until
another occurrence can be skipped.
419.6g Some replacement effects say “instead choose one —.” Such effects are called modal
replacement effects. The mode is chosen as the replacement effect is applied. If a modal
replacement effect would apply to multiple events, a different mode may be chosen for each
event. A modal replacement effect doesn’t invoke itself repeatedly, regardless of which mode
was chosen. You may not choose modes that are impossible.
419.6h Some effects replace card draws. These effects are applied even if no cards could be drawn
because there are no cards in the affected player’s library. If an effect replaces a draw within a
sequence of card draws, all actions required by the replacement are completed, if possible,
before resuming the sequence. If an effect would have a player both draw a card and perform an
additional action on that card, and the draw is replaced, the additional action is not performed on
any cards that are drawn as a result of that replacement effect.
419.6i Some replacement effects modify how a permanent would be put into play. (See rules
419.1b–c.) Such effects check only the copiable values of the characteristics of that permanent
as it would exist in play. Continuous effects that affected its characteristics in its previous zone
or that will affect its characteristics once it’s in play are not taken into account. Replacement
effects that have already modified how it would be put into play are taken into account,
however. (See rule 503.5.) Some permanents have static abilities that modify how a general
subset of permanents would be put into play; such an ability doesn’t affect the permanent itself
or any permanents coming into play at the same time as it.
Example: Voice of All says “As Voice of All comes into play, choose a color” and
“Voice of All has protection from the chosen color.” An effect creates a token that’s a
copy of Voice of All. As that token is put into play, its controller chooses a color for it.
Example: Yixlid Jailer says “Cards in graveyards have no abilities.” Scarwood Treefolk
says “Scarwood Treefolk is put into play tapped.” A Scarwood Treefolk that’s put into
play from a graveyard is put into play tapped.
Example: Orb of Dreams is an artifact that says “Permanents come into play tapped.”
It will not affect itself, so Orb of Dreams is put into play untapped.
419.7. Prevention Effects
419.7a Prevention effects usually apply to damage that would be dealt.
419.7b Some prevention effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability refer to a specific
amount of damage—for example, “Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target
creature or player this turn.” These work like shields. Each 1 damage that would be dealt to the
“shielded” creature or player is prevented. Preventing 1 damage reduces the remaining shield by
1. If damage would be dealt to the shielded creature or player by two or more applicable sources
at the same time, the player or the controller of the creature chooses which damage the shield
prevents first. Once the shield has been reduced to 0, any remaining damage is dealt normally.
Such effects count only the amount of damage; the number of events or sources dealing it
doesn’t matter.
419.7c Some prevention effects generated by static abilities refer to a specific amount of damage—
for example, “If a source would deal damage to you, prevent 1 of that damage.” Such an effect
prevents only the indicated amount of damage from any applicable source at any given time. It
will apply separately to damage from other applicable sources, or to damage that would be dealt
by the same source at a different time.
419.7d Some prevention effects prevent the next N damage that would be dealt to each of a number
of untargeted creatures. Such an effect creates a prevention shield for each applicable creature
when the spell or ability that generates that effect resolves.
Example: Wojek Apothecary has an ability that says “{T}: Prevent the next 1 damage
that would be dealt to target creature and each other creature that shares a color with it
this turn.” When the ability resolves, it gives the target creature and each other creature
in play that shares a color with it at that time a shield preventing the next 1 damage that
would be dealt to it. Changing creatures’ colors after the ability resolves doesn’t add or
remove shields, and creatures that come into play later in the turn don’t get the shield.
419.8. Sources of Damage
419.8a Some effects apply to damage from a source—for example, “The next time a red source of
your choice would deal damage to you this turn, prevent that damage.” If an effect requires a
player to choose a source, he or she may choose a permanent; a spell on the stack (including an
artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker spell); any card or permanent referred to by an
object on the stack; or a creature that assigned combat damage on the stack, even if the creature
is no longer in play or is no longer a creature. The source is chosen when the effect is created. If
the player chooses a permanent, the prevention will apply to the next damage from that
permanent, regardless of whether it’s from one of that permanent’s abilities or combat damage
dealt by it. If the player chooses an artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker spell, the
prevention will apply to any damage from that spell and from the permanent that it becomes
when it resolves.
419.8b Some effects from spells and abilities prevent or replace damage from sources with certain
properties, such as a creature or a source of a particular color. When the source would deal
damage, the “shield” rechecks the source’s properties. If the properties no longer match, the
damage isn’t prevented or replaced. If for any reason the shield prevents no damage or replaces
no damage, the shield isn’t used up.
419.8c Some effects from static abilities prevent or replace damage from sources with certain
properties. For these effects, the prevention or replacement applies to sources that are
permanents with that property and to any sources that aren’t in play that have that property.
419.9. Interaction of Replacement or Prevention Effects
419.9a If two or more replacement or prevention effects are attempting to modify the way an event
affects an object or player, the affected object’s controller (or its owner if it has no controller) or
the affected player chooses one to apply. Then the other effect applies if it is still appropriate. If
one or more of the applicable replacement effects is a self-replacement effect (see rule 419.6d),
that effect is applied before any other replacement effects. If two or more players have to make
these choices at the same time, choices are made in APNAP order (see rule 103.4).
Example: Two permanents are in play. One is an enchantment that reads “If a card
would be put into a graveyard, instead remove it from the game,” and the other is a
creature that reads “If [this creature] would be put into a graveyard from play, instead
shuffle it into its owner’s library.” The controller of the creature that would be
destroyed decides which replacement to apply first; the other does nothing.
419.9b A replacement effect can become applicable to an event as the result of another replacement
effect that modifies the event.
Example: One effect reads “For each 1 life you would gain, instead draw a card,” and
another reads “If you would draw a card, return a card from your graveyard to your
hand instead.” Both effects combine (regardless of the order they came into existence):
Instead of gaining 1 life, the player puts a card from his or her graveyard into his or her
hand.
420. State-Based Effects
420.1. State-based effects are a special category that apply only to those conditions listed below.
Abilities that watch for a specified game state are triggered abilities, not state-based effects. (See
rule 404, “Triggered Abilities.”)
420.2. State-based effects are always active and are not controlled by any player.
420.3. Whenever a player would get priority (see rule 408, “Timing of Spells and Abilities”), the game
checks for any of the listed conditions for state-based effects. All applicable effects resolve as a
single event, then the check is repeated. Once no more state-based effects have been generated,
triggered abilities go on the stack, and then the appropriate player gets priority. This check is also
made during the cleanup step (see rule 314); if any of the listed conditions apply, the active player
receives priority.
420.4. Unlike triggered abilities, state-based effects pay no attention to what happens during the
resolution of a spell or ability.
Example: A player controls a creature with the ability “This creature’s power and
toughness are each equal to the number of cards in your hand” and plays a spell whose
effect is “Discard your hand, then draw seven cards.” The creature will temporarily have
toughness 0 in the middle of the spell’s resolution but will be back up to toughness 7 when
the spell finishes resolving. Thus the creature will survive when state-based effects are
checked. In contrast, an ability that triggers when the player has no cards in hand goes on
the stack after the spell resolves, because its trigger event happened during resolution.
420.5. The state-based effects are as follows:
420.5a A player with 0 or less life loses the game.
420.5b A creature with toughness 0 or less is put into its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration can’t
replace this event.
420.5c A creature with lethal damage, but greater than 0 toughness, is destroyed. Lethal damage is
an amount of damage greater than or equal to a creature’s toughness. Regeneration can replace
this event.
420.5d An Aura attached to an illegal object or player, or not attached to an object or player, is put
into its owner’s graveyard.
420.5e If two or more legendary permanents with the same name are in play, all are put into their
owners’ graveyards. This is called the “legend rule.” If only one of those permanents is
legendary, this rule doesn’t apply.
420.5f A token in a zone other than the in-play zone ceases to exist.
420.5g A player who attempted to draw a card from an empty library since the last time state-based
effects were checked loses the game.
420.5h A player with ten or more poison counters loses the game.
420.5i If two or more permanents have the supertype world, all except the one that has been a
permanent with the world supertype in play for the shortest amount of time are put into their
owners’ graveyards. In the event of a tie for the shortest amount of time, all are put into their
owners’ graveyards. This is called the “world rule.”
420.5j A copy of a spell in a zone other than the stack ceases to exist. A copy of a card in any zone
other than the stack or the in-play zone ceases to exist.
420.5k An Equipment or Fortification attached to an illegal permanent becomes unattached from
that permanent. It remains in play.
420.5m A permanent that’s neither an Aura, an Equipment, nor a Fortification, but is attached to
another permanent, becomes unattached from that permanent. It remains in play.
420.5n If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1
counters are removed from it, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters
on it.
420.5p A planeswalker with loyalty 0 is put into its owner’s graveyard.
420.5q If two or more planeswalkers that share a planeswalker type are in play, all are put into their
owners’ graveyards.
421. Handling “Infinite” Loops
421.1. Occasionally the game can get into a state in which a set of actions could be repeated forever.
These rules (sometimes called the “infinity rules”) govern how to break such loops.
421.2. If the loop contains one or more optional actions and one player controls them all, that player
chooses a number. The loop is treated as repeating that many times or until another player
intervenes, whichever comes first.
421.3. If a loop contains optional actions controlled by two players and actions by both of those players
are required to continue the loop, the first player (or the first involved player after the active player
in turn order) chooses a number. The other player then has two choices. He or she can choose a
lower number, in which case the loop continues that number of times plus whatever fraction is
necessary for the active player to “have the last word.” Or he or she can agree to the number the
first player chose, in which case the loop continues that number of times plus whatever fraction is
necessary for the second player to “have the last word.” (Note that either fraction may be zero.) This
sequence of choices is extended to all applicable players if there are more than two players
involved.
Example: In a two-player game, one player controls a creature with the ability “{0}: [This
creature] gains flying,” and another player controls a permanent with the ability “{0}:
Target creature loses flying.” The “infinity rule” ensures that regardless of which player
initiated the gain/lose flying ability, the nonactive player will always have the final choice
and therefore be able to determine whether the creature has flying. (Note that this assumes
that the first player attempted to give the creature flying at least once.)
421.4. If the loop contains only mandatory actions, the game ends in a draw. (See rule 102.4b.)
421.5. If the loop contains optional actions controlled by different players and these actions don’t
depend on one another, the active player chooses a number. In APNAP order, the nonactive players
can each either agree to that number or choose a higher number. Note that this rule applies even if
the actions could exist in separate loops rather than in a single loop.
422. Handling Illegal Actions
422.1. If a player realizes that he or she can’t legally take an action after starting to do so, the entire
action is reversed and any payments already made are canceled. No abilities trigger and no effects
apply as a result of an undone action. If the action was playing a spell, the spell returns to the zone it
came from. The player may also reverse any legal mana abilities played while making the illegal
play, unless mana from them or from any triggered mana abilities they triggered was spent on
another mana ability that wasn’t reversed. Players may not reverse actions that moved cards to a
library or from a library to any zone other than the stack.
422.2. When reversing illegal spells and abilities, the player who had priority retains it and may take
another action or pass. The player may redo the reversed action in a legal way or take any other
action allowed by the rules.
423. Drawing a Card
423.1. A player draws a card by putting the top card of his or her library into his or her hand. This is
done as a game action during each player’s draw step. It may also be done as part of a cost or effect
of a spell or ability.
423.2. Cards may only be drawn one at a time. If a player is instructed to draw multiple cards, that
player performs that many individual card draws.
423.2a If an effect instructs more than one player to draw cards, the active player performs all of his
or her draws first, then each other player in turn order does the same.
423.2b If an effect instructs more than one player to draw cards in a Two-Headed Giant game, first
the primary player (seated on the right) on the active team performs all of his or her draws, then
the secondary player on that team performs all of his or her draws, then the nonactive team does
the same.
423.3. If there are no cards in a player’s library and an effect offers that player the choice to draw a
card, that player may choose to do so. See rule 413.2c.
423.4. A player who attempts to draw a card from an empty library loses the game the next time a
player would receive priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.5g.)
423.5. If an effect moves cards from a player’s library to that player’s hand without using the word
“draw,” the player has not drawn those cards. This makes a difference for abilities that trigger on
drawing cards or that replace card draws, as well as if the player’s library is empty.
423.6. Some effects replace card draws.
423.6a An effect that replaces a card draw is applied even if no cards could be drawn because there
are no cards in the affected player’s library.
423.6b If an effect replaces a draw within a sequence of card draws, the replacement effect is
completed before resuming the sequence.
423.6c Some effects perform additional actions on a card after it’s drawn. If the draw is replaced,
the additional action is not performed on any cards that are drawn as a result of that replacement
effect or any subsequent replacement effects.
424. Costs
424.1. A cost is an action or payment necessary to take another action.
424.2. A player can’t pay a cost unless he or she has the necessary resources to pay it fully. For
example, a player with only 1 life can’t pay a cost of 2 life, and a permanent that’s already tapped
can’t be tapped to pay a cost. See rule 203, “Mana Cost and Color,” and rule 403, “Activated
Abilities.”
424.3. Unpayable costs can’t be paid. (See rule 203.1b.)
424.4. What a player actually needs to do to pay a cost may be changed or reduced by effects. If the
mana component of a cost is reduced to nothing by cost reduction effects, it is considered to be {0}.
Paying a cost changed or reduced by an effect counts as paying the original cost.
Example: You play a spell with mana cost {W} that has kicker {1}. You choose to pay the
kicker, but a cost reduction effect means you spend only {W} when paying for the spell. The
spell’s “if the kicker cost was paid” effect will be applied.
424.5. If a cost includes a mana payment, the player paying the cost has a chance to play mana abilities.
Paying the cost to play a spell or activated ability follows the steps in rules 409.1f–h.
5. Additional Rules
500. Legal Attacks and Blocks
500.1. Some effects restrict declaring attackers or blockers in combat or require certain creatures to be
declared as attackers or blockers. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step,” and rule 309, “Declare
Blockers Step.”) A restriction is an effect that says a creature can’t block (or attack) or it can’t
block (or attack) unless some condition is met. A requirement is an effect that says a creature must
block (or attack) or it must block (or attack) if some condition is met.
500.2. As part of declaring attackers, the active player checks each creature he or she controls to see
whether it must attack, can’t attack, or is affected by some other attacking restriction or
requirement. If such a restriction or requirement conflicts with the proposed attack, the attack is
illegal, and the active player must then propose another set of attacking creatures. (Tapped creatures
and creatures with unpaid costs to attack are exempt from effects that would require them to attack.)
Example: A player controls two creatures, each with a restriction that states “[This
creature] can’t attack alone.” It’s legal to declare both as attackers.
Example: A player controls two creatures: one that “attacks if able” and one with no
abilities. An effect states, “No more than one creature can attack each turn.” The only legal
attack is for just the creature that “attacks if able” to attack. It’s illegal to attack with the
other creature, attack with both, or attack with neither.
500.3. As part of declaring blockers, the defending player checks each creature he or she controls to see
whether it must block, can’t block, or is affected by some other blocking restriction or requirement.
If such a restriction or requirement conflicts with the proposed set of blocking creatures, the block is
illegal, and the defending player must then propose another set of blocking creatures. (Tapped
creatures and creatures with unpaid costs to block are exempt from effects that would require them
to block.)
500.3a An evasion ability is an ability an attacking creature has that restricts what can block it.
Evasion abilities are static abilities that modify the declare blockers step of the combat phase. If
a creature gains or loses an evasion ability after a legal block has been declared, it doesn’t affect
that block. Evasion abilities are cumulative.
Example: A creature with flying and shadow can’t be blocked by a creature with flying
but without shadow.
500.4. A restriction conflicts with a proposed set of attackers or blockers if it isn’t being followed. A
requirement conflicts with a proposed set of attackers or blockers if it isn’t being followed and (1)
the requirement could be obeyed without violating a restriction and (2) doing so will allow the total
number of requirements that the set obeys to increase. If there are multiple scenarios in which all
restrictions are being followed and the maximum possible number of requirements are being
followed (even if not all of them are), then any of those scenarios are legal.
Example: A player controls one creature that “blocks if able” and another creature with no
abilities. An effect states, “Creatures can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.”
Having only the first creature block violates the restriction. Having neither creature block
fulfills the restriction but not the requirement. Having both creatures block the same
attacking creature fulfills both the restriction and the requirement, so that’s the only option.
501. Keyword Actions
501.1. Most actions described in a card’s rules text use the standard English definitions of the verbs
within, but some specialized verbs are used whose meanings may not be clear. These “keywords”
are game terms; sometimes reminder text summarizes their meanings.
501.2. Attach
501.2a To attach an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to an object means to take it from where it
currently is and put it onto that object. If something is attached to a permanent in play, it’s
customary to place it so that it’s physically touching the permanent. An Aura, Equipment, or
Fortification can’t be attached to an object it couldn’t enchant, equip, or fortify, respectively.
501.2b If an effect tries to attach an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to the object it’s already
attached to, the effect does nothing.
501.2c Attaching an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification in play to a different object causes the Aura,
Equipment, or Fortification to receive a new timestamp.
501.2d To “unattach” an Equipment from a creature means to move it away from that creature so
the Equipment is in play but is not equipping anything. It should no longer be physically
touching any creature. If an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification that was attached to something
ceases to be attached to it, that counts as “becoming unattached.”
501.3. Counter
501.3a To counter a spell or ability means to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It doesn’t resolve
and none of its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its owner’s graveyard. See rule 414,
“Countering Spells and Abilities.”
501.4. Destroy
501.4a To destroy a permanent, move it from the in-play zone to its owner’s graveyard.
501.5. Regenerate
501.5a If the effect of a resolving spell or ability regenerates a permanent, it creates a replacement
effect that protects the permanent the next time it would be destroyed this turn. In this case,
“Regenerate [permanent]” means “The next time [permanent] would be destroyed this turn,
instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if it’s in combat) remove it from combat.”
501.5b If the effect of a static ability regenerates a permanent, it replaces destruction with an
alternate effect each time that permanent would be destroyed. In this case, “Regenerate
[permanent]” means “Instead remove all damage from [permanent], tap it, and (if it’s in combat)
remove it from combat.”
501.6. Sacrifice
501.6a To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the in-play zone directly to its owner’s
graveyard. A player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a permanent, or something that’s a
permanent he or she doesn’t control. Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration
or other effects that replace destruction can’t affect this action.
501.7. Tap
501.7a To tap a permanent, turn it sideways from an upright position.
501.7b To untap a permanent, rotate it back to the upright position from a sideways position.
501.8. Scry
501.8a To “scry N” means to look at the top N cards of your library, put any number of them on the
bottom of your library in any order, and put the rest on top of your library in any order.
501.9. Fateseal
501.9a To “fateseal N” means to look at the top N cards of an opponent’s library, put any number of
them on the bottom of that library in any order, and put the rest on top of that library in any
order.
501.10. Clash
501.10a To clash, a player reveals the top card of his or her library. That player may then put that card on the bottom of his or her library.
501.10b “Clash with an opponent” means “Choose an opponent. You and that opponent each
clash.” 501.10c A player wins a clash if that player revealed a card with a higher converted mana cost than
all other cards revealed in that clash.
502. Keyword Abilities
502.1. Most abilities describe exactly what they do in the card’s rules text. Some, though, are very
common or would require too much space to define on the card. In these cases, the object lists only
the name of the ability as a “keyword”; sometimes reminder text summarizes the game rule.
502.2. First Strike
502.2a First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule
310, “Combat Damage Step.”)
502.2b At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first
strike or double strike (see rule 502.28), creatures without first strike or double strike don’t
assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a second combat
damage step to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat damage step, surviving
attackers and blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the first step, plus any creatures with
double strike, assign their combat damage.
502.2c Adding or removing first strike any time after combat damage has been put on the stack in
the first combat damage step won’t prevent a creature from dealing combat damage or allow it
to deal combat damage twice.
502.2d Multiple instances of first strike on the same creature are redundant.
502.3. Flanking
502.3a Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step. (See rule 309,
“Declare Blockers Step.”) “Flanking” means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a
creature without flanking, the blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.”
502.3b If a creature has multiple instances of flanking, each triggers separately.
502.4. Flying
502.4a Flying is an evasion ability.
502.4b A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach. A
creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. (See rule 309, “Declare
Blockers Step,” and rule 502.70, “Reach.”)
502.4c Multiple instances of flying on the same creature are redundant.
502.5. Haste
502.5a Haste is a static ability.
502.5b A creature with haste can attack or use activated abilities whose cost includes the tap symbol
even if it hasn’t been controlled by its controller continuously since the start of his or her most
recent turn. (See rule 212.3f.)
502.5c Multiple instances of haste on the same creature are redundant.
502.6. Landwalk
502.6a Landwalk and snow landwalk are generic terms; a card’s rules text will give a specific
subtype or supertype (such as in “islandwalk,” “snow swampwalk,” or “legendary landwalk”).
502.6b Landwalk and snow landwalk are evasion abilities. A creature with landwalk is unblockable
as long as the defending player controls at least one land with the specified subtype and/or
supertype. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.6c Snow landwalk is a special kind of landwalk. A creature with snow landwalk is unblockable
as long as the defending player controls at least one snow land with the specified subtype. If a
player is allowed to choose any landwalk ability, that player may choose a snow landwalk
ability. If an effect causes a permanent to lose all landwalk abilities, snow landwalk abilities are
removed as well.
502.6d Landwalk or snow landwalk abilities don’t “cancel” one another.
Example: If a player controls a snow Forest, that player can’t block an attacking
creature with snow forestwalk even if he or she also controls a creature with snow
forestwalk.
502.6e Multiple instances of the same kind of landwalk or snow landwalk on the same creature are
redundant.
502.7. Protection
502.7a Protection is a static ability, written “Protection from [quality].” This quality is usually a
color (as in “protection from black”) but can be any characteristic value. If the quality is a card
type, subtype, or supertype, the protection applies to sources that are permanents with that card
type, subtype, or supertype and to any sources not in play that are of that card type, subtype, or
supertype. This is an exception to rule 200.9.
502.7b A permanent or player with protection can’t be targeted by spells with the stated quality and
can’t be targeted by abilities from a source with the stated quality.
502.7c A permanent or player with protection can’t be enchanted by Auras that have the stated
quality. Such Auras attached to the permanent or player with protection will be put into their
owners’ graveyards as a state-based effect. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)
502.7d A permanent with protection can’t be equipped by Equipment that have the stated quality or
fortified by Fortifications that have the stated quality. Such Equipment or Fortifications become
unattached from that permanent, but remain in play. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)
502.7e Any damage that would be dealt by sources that have the stated quality to a permanent or
player that has protection is prevented.
502.7f Attacking creatures with protection can’t be blocked by creatures that have the stated quality.
502.7g Multiple instances of protection from the same quality on the same permanent or player are
redundant.
502.8. Shadow
502.8a Shadow is an evasion ability.
502.8b A creature with shadow can’t be blocked by creatures without shadow, and a creature
without shadow can’t be blocked by creatures with shadow. (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers
Step.”)
502.8c Multiple instances of shadow on the same creature are redundant.
502.9. Trample
502.9a Trample is a static ability that modifies the rules for assigning an attacking creature’s
combat damage. A creature with trample has no special abilities when blocking or dealing
noncombat damage. (See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”)
502.9b The controller of an attacking creature with trample first assigns damage to the creature(s)
blocking it. If all those blocking creatures are assigned lethal damage, any remaining damage is
assigned as its controller chooses among those blocking creatures and the player or
planeswalker the creature is attacking. When checking for assigned lethal damage, take into
account damage already on the creature and damage from other creatures that will be assigned at
the same time (see rule 502.9e). The controller need not assign lethal damage to all those
blocking creatures but in that case can’t assign any damage to the player or planeswalker it’s
attacking.
502.9c If an attacking creature with trample is blocked, but there are no creatures blocking it when damage is assigned, all its damage is assigned to the player or planeswalker it’s attacking.
502.9d Assigning damage from a creature with trample considers only the actual toughness of a
blocking creature, not any abilities or effects that might change the final amount of damage
dealt.
Example: A 6/6 green creature with trample is blocked by a 2/2 creature with protection
from green. The attacking creature’s controller must assign at least 2 damage to the
blocker, even though that damage will be prevented by the blocker’s protection ability.
The attacking creature’s controller can then choose to assign the rest of the damage to
the defending player.
502.9e When there are several attacking creatures, it’s legal to assign damage from those without
trample so as to maximize the damage of those with trample.
Example: A 2/2 creature with an ability that enables it to block multiple attackers blocks
two attackers: a 1/1 with no special abilities a 3/3 with trample. The attacking player
could assign 1 damage from the first attacker and 1 damage from the second to the
blocking creature, and 2 damage to the defending player from the creature with trample.
502.9f Multiple instances of trample on the same creature are redundant.
502.10. Banding
502.10a Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for declaring attackers and assigning
combat damage.
502.10b As a player declares attackers, he or she may declare that any number of those creatures
with banding, and up to one of those creatures without banding, are all in a “band.” All of those
creatures must attack the same player or planeswalker. (Defending players can’t declare bands
but may use banding in a different way; see rule 502.10h.)
502.10c A player may declare as many attacking bands as he or she wants, but each creature may be
a member of only one of them.
502.10d Once an attacking band has been announced, it lasts for the rest of combat, even if
something later removes the banding ability from one or more creatures. However, creatures in
a band that are removed from combat are also removed from the band.
502.10e If an attacking creature becomes blocked by a creature, each other creature in the same
band as the attacking creature becomes blocked by that same blocking creature.
Example: A player attacks with a band consisting of a creature with flying and a
creature with swampwalk. The defending player, who controls a Swamp, can block the
flying creature if able. If he or she does, then the creature with swampwalk will also
become blocked by the blocking creature(s).
502.10f Banding doesn’t cause attacking creatures to share abilities, nor does it remove any
abilities. The attacking creatures in a band are separate permanents.
502.10g If one member of a band would become blocked due to an effect, the entire band becomes
blocked.
502.10h A player who controls an attacking creature with banding chooses how combat damage is
assigned by creatures blocking that creature. A player who controls a blocking creature with
banding chooses how combat damage is assigned by creatures it blocks. If the creature had
banding when it attacked or blocked but the ability was removed before the combat damage
step, damage is assigned normally.
502.10i Multiple instances of banding on the same creature are redundant.
502.11. Bands with Other
502.11a Bands with other is a special form of banding. If an effect causes a permanent to lose
banding, the permanent loses all bands with other abilities as well.
502.11b An attacking creature with “bands with other [quality]” can form an attacking band with
other creatures that have the same “bands with other [quality]” ability. Creatures with banding
can also join this band, but creatures without banding can’t. The creatures in this band don’t
have to have the creature type specified in the “bands with other [quality]” ability. Blocking this
band follows the same general rules as for banding.
502.11c If an attacking creature is blocked by at least two creatures with the same “bands with other
[quality]” ability, the defending player chooses how the attacking creature’s damage is assigned.
Similarly, if a blocking creature blocks at least two attacking creatures with the same “bands
with other [quality]” ability, the attacking player chooses how the blocking creature’s damage is
assigned.
502.11d Multiple instances of bands with other of the same kind on the same creature are
redundant.
502.12. Rampage
502.12a Rampage is a triggered ability. “Rampage N” means “Whenever this creature becomes
blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first.” (See rule
309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.12b The rampage bonus is calculated only once per combat, when the triggered ability resolves.
Adding or removing blockers later in combat won’t change the bonus.
502.12c If a creature has multiple instances of rampage, each triggers separately.
502.13. Cumulative Upkeep
502.13a Cumulative upkeep is a triggered ability that imposes an increasing cost on a permanent. “Cumulative upkeep [cost]” means “At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent. Then you may pay [cost] for each age counter on it. If you don’t, sacrifice it.” If [cost] has choices associated with it, each choice is made separately for each age counter, then either the entire set of costs is paid, or none of them is paid. Partial payments aren’t allowed.
Example: A creature has “Cumulative upkeep {W} or {U}” and two age counters on it.
When its ability next triggers and resolves, the creature’s controller puts an age counter
on it and then may pay {W}{W}{W}, {W}{W}{U}, {W}{U}{U}, or {U}{U}{U} to keep the
creature in play.
Example: A creature has “Cumulative upkeep—Sacrifice a creature” and one age
counter on it. When its ability next triggers and resolves, its controller can’t choose the
same creature to sacrifice twice. Either two different creatures must be sacrificed, or the
creature with cumulative upkeep must be sacrificed.
502.13b If a permanent has multiple instances of cumulative upkeep, each triggers separately.
However, the age counters are not linked to any particular ability; each cumulative upkeep
ability will count the total number of age counters on the permanent at the time that ability
resolves.
Example: A creature has two instances of “Cumulative upkeep—Pay 1 life.” The
creature currently has no counters but both cumulative upkeep abilities trigger. When
the first ability resolves, the controller adds a counter and then chooses to pay 1 life.
When the second ability resolves, the controller adds another counter and then chooses
to pay an additional 2 life.
502.14. Vigilance
502.14a Vigilance is a static ability that modifies the rules for the declare attackers step.
502.14b Attacking doesn’t cause creatures with vigilance to tap. (See rule 308, “Declare Attackers
Step.”)
502.14c Multiple instances of vigilance on the same creature are redundant.
502.15. Phasing
502.15a Phasing is a static ability that modifies the rules of the untap step.
502.15b During each player’s untap step, before the active player untaps his or her permanents, all
permanents with phasing the player controls phase out. Simultaneously, all objects that had
phased out under that player’s control phase in. (See rule 217.8, “Phased Out,” and rule 302.1.)
502.15c If an effect causes a player to skip his or her untap step, the phasing event simply doesn’t
occur that turn.
502.15d Permanents phasing in or out don’t trigger any comes-into-play or leaves-play abilities, and
effects that modify how a permanent comes into play are ignored. Abilities and effects that
specifically mention phasing can modify or trigger on these events, however. (Because no
player receives priority during the untap step, any abilities triggering off of the phasing event
won’t go onto the stack until the upkeep step begins.)
502.15e When a permanent phases out, all damage dealt to it is removed.
502.15f A card that returns to play from the phased-out zone is considered the same permanent it
was when it left. This is an exception to rule 217.1c, which stipulates that a permanent “forgets”
its previous existence when it changes zones.
502.15g Effects with limited duration and delayed triggered abilities that specifically reference a
permanent will be unable to further affect that permanent if it phases out. However, other effects
that reference the permanent (including effects with unlimited duration) can affect the
permanent when it returns to play.
Example: A creature is affected by Giant Growth and then phases out during the same
turn. If the creature phases back in somehow before the turn is over, it won’t get the
+3/+3 bonus from the Giant Growth because its effect has a limited duration.
502.15h Phased-out cards “remember” their past histories and will return to play in the same state.
They “remember” any counters they had on them, any choices made when they first came into
play, whether they were flipped when they left play, and whether they were tapped or untapped
when they left play. They also “remember” who controlled them when they phased out,
although they may phase in under the control of a different player if a control effect with limited
duration has expired.
Example: Diseased Vermin reads, in part, “At the beginning of your upkeep, Diseased
Vermin deals X damage to target opponent previously dealt damage by it, where X is the
number of infection counters on it.” If Diseased Vermin phases out, it “remembers” how
many counters it has and also which opponents it has previously damaged. When it
phases back in, it will still be able to target those opponents with its upkeep-triggered
ability.
502.15i When a permanent phases out, any Auras, Equipment, or Fortifications attached to that
permanent phase out at the same time. This alternate way of phasing out is known as phasing
out “indirectly.” An Aura, Equipment, or Fortification that phased out indirectly won’t phase in
by itself, but instead phases in along with the card it’s attached to.
502.15j If an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification phased out directly (rather than phasing out along
with the permanent it’s attached to), then it “remembers” the permanent it was attached to and
returns to play attached to that permanent. If an Aura phases in but it’s no longer legal for it to
be attached to the object or player it was attached to, the Aura returns to play and then is placed
in its owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420. If an Equipment or
Fortification phases in but it’s no longer legal for it to be attached to the permanent it was
attached to, the Equipment or Fortification returns to play and then stays in play, not attached to
anything. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420.
502.15k Permanents that phase in keep the same timestamps (see rules 418.5d and 418.5e) they had
when they phased out. This doesn’t change the fact that the permanents phase in simultaneously,
however.
502.15m A permanent that phases in can attack and tap to play abilities as though it had haste. This
applies even if that permanent phased out and phased back in the turn it came into play. The
permanent remains able to attack and tap to play abilities until it changes controllers or leaves
play.
502.15n A spell or ability that targets a permanent will resolve normally with respect to that
permanent if the permanent phases out and back in before the spell or ability resolves.
502.15p Multiple instances of phasing on the same permanent are redundant.
502.16. Buyback
502.16a Buyback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities that
function while the spell is on the stack. “Buyback [cost]” means “You may pay an additional
[cost] as you play this spell” and “If the buyback cost was paid, put this spell into its owner’s
hand instead of into that player’s graveyard as it resolves.” Paying a spell’s buyback cost
follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f-h.
502.17. Horsemanship
502.17a Horsemanship is an evasion ability that appeared in the Portal Three Kingdoms™ set.
502.17b A creature with horsemanship can’t be blocked by creatures without horsemanship. A
creature with horsemanship can block a creature with or without horsemanship. (See rule 309,
“Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.17c Multiple instances of horsemanship on the same creature are redundant.
502.18. Cycling
502.18a Cycling is an activated ability that functions only while the card with cycling is in a
player’s hand. “Cycling [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Draw a card.”
502.18b Although the cycling ability is playable only if the card is in a player’s hand, it continues to
exist while the object is in play and in all other zones. Therefore objects with cycling will be
affected by effects that depend on objects having one or more activated abilities.
502.18c Some cards with cycling have abilities that trigger when they’re cycled. “When you cycle
[this card]” means “When you discard [this card] to pay a cycling cost.” These abilities trigger
from the graveyard.
502.18d Typecycling is a variant of the cycling ability. “[Subtype]cycling [cost]” means “[Cost],
Discard this card: Search your library for a [subtype] card, reveal it, and put it into your hand.
Then shuffle your library.”
502.18e Any cards that trigger when a player cycles a card will trigger when a card is discarded to
pay a typecycling cost. Any effect that stops players from cycling cards will stop players from
playing cards’ typecycling abilities.
502.19. Echo
502.19a Echo is a triggered ability. “Echo [cost]” means “At the beginning of your upkeep, if this
permanent came under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless
you pay [cost].”
502.20. Fading
502.20a Fading is a keyword that represents two abilities. “Fading N” means “This permanent
comes into play with N fade counters on it” and “At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a
fade counter from this permanent. If you can’t, sacrifice the permanent.”
502.21. Kicker
502.21a Kicker is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Kicker [cost]” means
“You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell.” The phrase “Kicker [cost 1] and/or
[cost 2]” means the same thing as “Kicker [cost 1], kicker [cost 2].” Paying a spell’s kicker
cost(s) follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.21b Objects with kicker have additional abilities that specify what happens if the kicker cost is
paid. Objects with more than one kicker cost have abilities that correspond to each kicker cost.
502.21c If the text that depends on a kicker cost being paid targets one or more permanents and/or
players, the spell’s controller chooses those targets only if he or she declared the intention to pay
the appropriate kicker cost. Otherwise, the targets aren’t chosen at all.
502.21d A card with kicker may contain the phrases “if the [A] kicker cost was paid” and “if the [B]
kicker cost was paid,” where A and B are the first and second kicker costs listed on the card,
respectively. This text just refers to one kicker cost or the other, regardless of what the spell’s
controller actually spent when paying the cost. In other words, read “if the [A] kicker cost was
paid” as “if the first kicker cost listed was paid,” and read “if the [B] kicker cost was paid” as “if
the second kicker cost listed was paid.”
502.22. Flashback
502.22a Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one
functions while the card is in a player’s graveyard and the other functions while the card is on
the stack. “Flashback [cost]” means “You may play this card from your graveyard by paying
[cost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “If the flashback cost was paid, remove this card
from the game instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack.” Playing a
spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and
409.1f–h.
502.23. Threshold
502.23a Threshold used to be a keyword ability. It is now an ability word and has no rules meaning.
All cards printed with the threshold keyword have received errata. Updated wordings are
available in the Oracle card reference.
502.24. Madness
502.24a Madness is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions
while the card with madness is in a player’s hand. The second is a triggered ability that
functions when the first ability is applied. “Madness [cost]” means “If a player would discard
this card, that player discards it, but may remove it from the game instead of putting it into his
or her graveyard” and “When this card is removed from the game this way, its owner may play
it by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost. If that player doesn’t, he or she puts this
card into his or her graveyard.”
502.24b Playing a spell using its madness ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in
rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.25. Fear
502.25a Fear is an evasion ability.
502.25b A creature with fear can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures.
(See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.25c Multiple instances of fear on the same creature are redundant.
502.26. Morph
502.26a Morph is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it’s
on, and the morph effect works any time the card is face down. “Morph [cost]” means “You
may play this card as a 2/2 face-down creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no
expansion symbol, and no mana cost by paying {3} rather than its mana cost.” Any time you
could play an instant, you may show all players the morph cost for any face-down permanent
you control, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. This action does not use the stack.
(See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents.”)
502.26b To play a card using its morph ability, turn it face down. It becomes a 2/2 face-down
creature card, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. Any
effects or prohibitions that would apply to playing a card with these characteristics (and not the
face-up card’s characteristics) are applied to playing this card. These values are the copiable
values of that object’s characteristics. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects,” and
rule 503, “Copying Objects.”) Put it onto the stack (as a face-down spell with the same
characteristics), and pay {3} rather than pay its mana cost. This follows the rules for paying
alternative costs. You can use morph to play a card from any zone from which you could
normally play it. When the spell resolves, it comes into play with the same characteristics the
spell had. The morph effect applies to the face-down object wherever it is, and it ends when the
permanent is turned face up.
502.26c You can’t play a card face down if it doesn’t have morph.
502.26d Any time you could play an instant, you may turn a face-down permanent you control face
up. To do this, show all players what the permanent’s morph cost will be when the effect ends,
pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. The morph effect on it ends, and it regains its
normal characteristics. Any abilities relating to the permanent coming into play don’t trigger
when it’s turned face up and don’t have any effect, because the permanent has already come into
play.
502.26e If a face-up permanent is turned face down by a spell or ability, it becomes a 2/2 face-down
creature, with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost. These
values are the copiable values of that object’s characteristics. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of
Continuous Effects,” and rule 503, “Copying Objects.”) The rules for morph and face-down
permanents apply to it normally.
502.26f See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents,” for more information on how to play
cards with morph.
502.27. Amplify
502.27a Amplify is a static ability. “Amplify N” means “As this object comes into play, reveal any
number of cards from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent comes into
play with N +1/+1 counters on it for each card revealed this way. You can’t reveal this card or
any other cards that are coming into play at the same time as this card.”
502.27b If a creature has multiple instances of amplify, each one works separately.
502.28. Double Strike
502.28a Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. (See rule
310, “Combat Damage Step.”)
502.28b At the start of the combat damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has
double strike or first strike, creatures without double strike or first strike (see rule 502.2, “First
Strike”) don’t assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of combat, the phase gets a
second combat damage step to handle the remaining creatures. In the second combat damage
step, surviving attackers and blockers that didn’t assign combat damage in the first step, plus
any creatures with double strike, assign their combat damage.
502.28c Removing double strike from a creature during the first combat damage step will stop it
from assigning combat damage in the second combat damage step.
502.28d Giving double strike to a creature with first strike after it has already put first strike combat
damage onto the stack in the first combat damage step will allow the creature to assign combat
damage in the second combat damage step.
502.28e Multiple instances of double strike on the same creature are redundant.
502.29. Provoke
502.29a Provoke is a triggered ability. “Provoke” means “Whenever this creature attacks, you may
choose to have target creature defending player controls block this creature this combat if able.
If you do, untap that creature.”
502.29b If a creature has multiple instances of provoke, each triggers separately.
502.30. Storm
502.30a Storm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. “Storm” means “When you play this
spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each other spell that was played before it this turn. If the
spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any of the copies.”
502.30b If a spell has multiple instances of storm, each triggers separately.
502.31. Affinity
502.31a Affinity is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Affinity for [text]”
means “This spell costs you {1} less to play for each [text] you control.”
502.31b The affinity ability reduces only generic mana costs; it doesn’t reduce how much colored
mana you have to pay for a spell.
502.31c If a spell has multiple instances of affinity, each of them applies.
502.32. Entwine
502.32a Entwine is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Entwine [cost]”
means “You may choose to use all modes of this spell instead of just one. If you do, you pay an
additional [cost].” Using the entwine ability follows the rules for choosing modes and paying
additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.32b If the entwine cost was paid, follow the text of each of the modes in the order written on
the card when the spell resolves.
502.33. Equip
502.33a Equip is an activated ability of Equipment cards. “Equip [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this
Equipment to target creature you control. Play this ability only any time you could play a
sorcery.”
502.33b For more information about Equipment, see rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”
502.33c If an Equipment has multiple instances of equip, any of its equip abilities may be used.
502.34. Imprint
502.34a Imprint is an activated or triggered ability, written “Imprint — [text],” where “[text]” is a
triggered or activated ability. Cards that are in the removed-from-the-game zone because they
were removed from the game by an imprint ability are imprinted on the source of that ability.
502.34b The phrase “imprinted [quality] card” means the card with that quality that’s imprinted on
the permanent. If a permanent has more than one card with that quality imprinted on it, each of
those cards is an “imprinted [quality] card.”
502.35. Modular
502.35a Modular represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. “Modular N” means “This
permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it” and “When this permanent is put into a
graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1
counter on this permanent.”
502.35b If a creature has multiple instances of modular, each one works separately.
502.36. Shroud
502.36a Shroud is a static ability. “Shroud” means "This permanent or player can’t be the target of
spells or abilities."
502.36b Multiple instances of shroud on the same permanent or player are redundant.
502.37. Sunburst
502.37a Sunburst is a static ability that functions as an object is coming into play from the stack.
“Sunburst” means “If this object is coming into play from the stack as a creature, it comes into
play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost. If this object is
coming into play from the stack and isn’t coming into play as a creature, it comes into play with
a charge counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.”
502.37b Sunburst applies only as the spell is resolving and only if one or more colored mana was
paid for its costs. Mana paid for additional or alternative costs applies.
502.37c Sunburst can also be used to set a variable number for another ability. If the keyword is
used in this way, it doesn’t matter whether the ability is on a creature spell or on a noncreature
spell.
Example: The ability “Modular—Sunburst” means “This permanent comes into play
with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost” and “When this
permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on target
artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent.”
502.37d If an object has multiple instances of sunburst, each one works separately.
502.38. Bushido
502.38a Bushido is a triggered ability. “Bushido N” means “Whenever this creature blocks or
becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N until end of turn.” (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
502.38b If a creature has multiple instances of bushido, each triggers separately.
502.39. Soulshift
502.39a Soulshift is a triggered ability. “Soulshift N” means “When this permanent is put into a
graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost N or less from
your graveyard to your hand.”
502.39b If a permanent has multiple instances of soulshift, each triggers separately.
502.40. Splice
502.40a Splice is a static ability that functions while a card is in your hand. “Splice onto [subtype]
[cost]” means “You may reveal this card from your hand as you play a [subtype] spell. If you
do, copy this card’s text box onto that spell and pay [cost] as an additional cost to play that
spell.” Paying a card’s splice cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b
and 409.1f–h.
Example: Since the card with splice remains in the player’s hand, it can later be played
normally or spliced onto another spell. It can even be discarded to pay a “discard a
card” cost of the spell it’s spliced onto.
502.40b You can’t choose to use a splice ability if you can’t make the required choices (targets,
etc.) for that card’s instructions. You can’t splice any one card onto the same spell more than
once. If you’re splicing more than one card onto a spell, reveal them all at once and choose the
order in which their instructions will be followed. The instructions on the main spell have to be
followed first.
502.40c The spell has the characteristics of the main spell, plus the text boxes of each of the spliced
cards. The spell doesn’t gain any other characteristics (name, mana cost, color, supertypes, card
types, subtypes, etc.) of the spliced cards. Text copied onto the spell that refers to a card by
name refers to the spell on the stack, not the card from which the text was copied.
Example: Glacial Ray is a red card with splice onto Arcane that reads, “Glacial Ray
deals 2 damage to target creature or player.” Suppose Glacial Ray is spliced onto
Reach Through Mists, a blue spell. The spell is still blue, and Reach Through Mists
deals the damage. This means that the ability can target a creature with protection from
red and deal 2 damage to that creature.
502.40d Choose targets for the added text normally (see rule 409.1c). Note that a spell with one or
more targets will be countered if all of its targets are illegal on resolution.
502.40e The spell loses any splice changes once it leaves the stack (for example, when it’s
countered, it’s removed from the game, or it resolves).
502.41. Defender
502.41a Defender is a static ability.
502.41b A creature with defender can’t attack.
502.41c Multiple instances of defender on the same creature are redundant.
502.42. Offering
502.42a Offering is a static ability of a card that functions in any zone from which the card can be
played. “[Text] offering” means “You may play this card any time you could play an instant by
sacrificing a [text] permanent. If you do, the total cost to play this card is reduced by the
sacrificed permanent’s mana cost.”
502.42b The permanent is sacrificed at the same time the spell is announced (see rule 409.1a). The
total cost of the spell is reduced by the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost (see rule 409.1f).
502.42c Generic mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost reduces generic mana in the total
cost to play the card with offering. Colored mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost
reduces mana of the same color in the total cost to play the card with offering. Colored mana in
the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost that doesn’t match colored mana in the colored mana cost
of the card with offering, or is in excess of the card’s colored mana cost, reduces that much
generic mana in the total cost.
502.43. Ninjutsu
502.43a Ninjutsu is an activated ability that functions only while the card with ninjutsu is in a
player’s hand. “Ninjutsu [cost]” means “[Cost], Reveal this card from your hand, Return an
unblocked creature you control to its owner’s hand: Put this card into play from your hand
tapped and attacking.”
502.43b The card with ninjutsu remains revealed from the time the ability is announced until the
ability leaves the stack.
502.43c A ninjutsu ability may be played only while a creature in play is unblocked (see rule
309.2f). The creature with ninjutsu is put into play unblocked. It will be attacking the same
player or planeswalker as the creature that was returned to its owner’s hand.
502.44. Epic
502.44a Epic represents both a static ability and a delayed triggered ability. “Epic” means, “For the
rest of the game, you can’t play spells,” and “At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, copy
this spell except for its epic ability. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for
the copy.” See rule 503.10.
502.44b A player can’t play spells once a spell with epic he or she controls resolves, but effects
(such as the epic ability itself) can still put copies of spells onto the stack.
502.45. Enchant
502.45a Enchant is a static ability, written “Enchant [object or player].” The enchant ability restricts
what an Aura spell can target and what an Aura can enchant.
502.45b For more information on Auras, see rule 212.4, “Enchantments.”
502.45c If an Aura has multiple instances of enchant, all of them apply. The Aura’s target must
follow the restrictions from all the instances of enchant. The Aura can enchant only objects or
players that match all of its enchant abilities.
502.45d Auras that can enchant a player can target and be attached to players. Such Auras can’t
target permanents and can’t be attached to permanents.
502.46. Convoke
502.46a Convoke is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Convoke” means
“As an additional cost to play this spell, you may tap any number of untapped creatures you
control. Each creature tapped this way reduces the cost to play this spell by {1} or by one mana
of any of that creature’s colors.” Using the convoke ability follows the rules for paying
additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
Example: You play Guardian of Vitu-Ghazi, a spell with convoke that costs {6}{G}{W}.
You announce that you’re going to tap a colorless creature, a red creature, and a green-
and-white creature to help pay for it. The colorless creature and the red creature each
reduce the spell’s cost by {1}. You choose whether the green-white creature reduces the
spell’s cost by {1}, {G}, or {W}. Then the creatures become tapped as you pay Guardian
of Vitu-Ghazi’s cost.
502.46b Multiple instances of convoke on the same spell are redundant.
502.47. Dredge
502.47a Dredge is a static ability that functions only while the card with dredge is in a player’s
graveyard. “Dredge N” means “As long as you have at least N cards in your library, if you
would draw a card, you may instead put N cards from the top of your library into your
graveyard and return this card from your graveyard to your hand.”
502.47b A player with fewer cards in his or her library than the number required by a dredge ability
can’t put any of them into his or her graveyard this way.
502.48. Transmute
502.48a Transmute is an activated ability that functions only while the card with transmute is in a
player’s hand. “Transmute [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Search your library for a
card with the same converted mana cost as the discarded card, reveal that card, and put it into
your hand. Then shuffle your library. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.”
502.48b Although the transmute ability is playable only if the card is in a player’s hand, it continues
to exist while the object is in play and in all other zones. Therefore objects with transmute will
be affected by effects that depend on objects having one or more activated abilities.
502.49. Substance
502.49a Substance is a static ability with no effect.
502.50. Bloodthirst
502.50a Bloodthirst is a static ability. “Bloodthirst N” means “If an opponent was dealt damage this
turn, this permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it.”
502.50b “Bloodthirst X” is a special form of bloodthirst. “Bloodthirst X” means “This permanent
comes into play with X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is the total damage your opponents have
been dealt this turn.”
502.50c If an object has multiple instances of bloodthirst, each applies separately.
502.51. Haunt
502.51a Haunt is a triggered ability. “Haunt” on a permanent means “When this permanent is put
into a graveyard from play, remove it from the game haunting target creature.” “Haunt” on an
instant or sorcery spell means “When this spell is put into a graveyard during its resolution,
remove it from the game haunting target creature.”
502.51b Cards that are in the removed-from-the-game zone as the result of a haunt ability “haunt”
the creature targeted by that ability. The phrase “creature it haunts” refers to the object targeted
by the haunt ability, regardless of whether or not that object is still a creature.
502.51c Triggered abilities of cards with haunt that refer to the haunted creature can trigger in the
removed-from-the-game zone.
502.52. Replicate
502.52a Replicate is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that
functions while the spell is on the stack. The second is a triggered ability that functions while
the spell is on the stack. “Replicate [cost]” means “As an additional cost to play this spell, you
may pay [cost] any number of times” and “When you play this spell, if a replicate cost was paid
for it, copy it for each time its replicate cost was paid. If the spell has any targets, you may
choose new targets for any number of the copies.” Paying a spell’s replicate cost follows the
rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.52b If a spell has multiple instances of replicate, each is paid separately and triggers based on
the payments made for it, not any other instance of replicate.
502.53. Forecast
502.53a A forecast ability is a special kind of activated ability that can be played only from a
player’s hand. It’s written “Forecast — [Activated ability].”
502.53b A forecast ability may be played only during the upkeep step of the card’s owner and only
once each turn. The controller of the forecast ability reveals the card with that ability from his or
her hand as the ability is played. That player plays with that card revealed in his or her hand
until the upkeep step ends or until it leaves the player’s hand, whichever comes first.
502.54. Graft
502.54a Graft represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. “Graft N” means “This
permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it” and “Whenever another creature comes
into play, if this permanent has a +1/+1 counter on it, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this
permanent onto that creature.”
502.54b If a creature has multiple instances of graft, each one works separately.
502.55. Recover
502.55a Recover is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with recover is in a player’s
graveyard. “Recover [cost]” means “When a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you
may pay [cost]. If you do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove
this card from the game.”
502.56. Ripple
502.56a Ripple is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with ripple is on the stack.
“Ripple N” means “When you play this spell, you may reveal the top N cards of your library, or,
if there are fewer than N cards in your library, you may reveal all the cards in your library. If
you reveal cards from your library this way, you may play any of those cards with the same
name as this spell without paying their mana costs, then put all revealed cards not played this
way on the bottom of your library in any order.”
502.56b If a spell has multiple instances of ripple, each triggers separately.
502.57. Flash
502.57a Flash is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it’s
on. “Flash” means “You may play this card any time you could play an instant.”
502.57b Multiple instances of flash on the same object are redundant.
502.58. Split Second
502.58a Split second is a static ability that functions only while the spell with split second is on the
stack. “Split second” means “As long as this spell is on the stack, players can’t play other spells
or abilities that aren’t mana abilities.”
502.58b Multiple instances of split second on the same spell are redundant.
502.59. Suspend
502.59a Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that
functions while the card with suspend is in a player’s hand. The second and third are triggered
abilities that function in the removed-from-the-game zone. “Suspend N—[cost]” means “If you
could play this card from your hand, you may pay [cost] and remove it from the game with N
time counters on it. This action doesn’t use the stack,” and “At the beginning of your upkeep, if
this card is suspended, remove a time counter from it,” and “When the last time counter is
removed from this card, if it’s removed from the game, play it without paying its mana cost if
able. If you can’t, it remains removed from the game. If you play a creature spell this way, it
gains haste until you lose control of the spell or the permanent it becomes.”
502.59b A card is “suspended” if it’s in the removed-from-the-game zone, has suspend, and has a
time counter on it.
502.59c Playing a spell as an effect of its suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative
costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.60. Vanishing
502.60a Vanishing is a keyword that represents three abilities. “Vanishing N” means “This
permanent comes into play with N time counters on it,” “At the beginning of your upkeep, if
this permanent has a time counter on it, remove a time counter from it,” and “When the last time
counter is removed from this permanent, sacrifice it.”
502.60b Vanishing without a number means “At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent
has a time counter on it, remove a time counter from it” and “When the last time counter is
removed from this permanent, sacrifice it.”
502.60c If a permanent has multiple instances of vanishing, each works separately.
502.61. Absorb
502.61a Absorb is a static ability. “Absorb N” means “If a source would deal damage to this
creature, prevent N of that damage.”
502.61b Each absorb ability can prevent only N damage from any one source at any one time. It
will apply separately to damage from other sources, or to damage dealt by the same source at a
different time.
502.61c If an object has multiple instances of absorb, each applies separately.
502.62. Aura Swap
502.62a Aura swap is an activated ability of some Aura cards. “Aura swap [cost]” means “[Cost]:
You may exchange this permanent with an Aura card in your hand.”
502.62b If either half of the exchange can’t be completed, the ability has no effect.
Example: You play the aura swap ability of an Aura. The only Aura card in your hand
can’t enchant the permanent that’s enchanted by the Aura with aura swap. The ability
has no effect.
Example: You play the aura swap ability of an Aura that you control but you don’t own.
The ability has no effect.
502.63. Deathtouch
502.63a Deathtouch is a triggered ability. “Deathtouch” means “Whenever this permanent deals
damage to a creature, destroy that creature.”
502.63b If a permanent has multiple instances of deathtouch, each triggers separately.
502.64. Delve
502.64a Delve is a static ability that functions while the spell that has it is on the stack. “Delve”
means “As an additional cost to play this spell, you may remove any number of cards in your
graveyard from the game. Each card removed this way reduces the cost to play this spell by
{1}.” Using the delve ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and
409.1f–h.
502.64b Multiple instances of delve on the same spell are redundant.
502.65. Fortify
502.65a Fortify is an activated ability of Fortification cards. “Fortify [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach
this Fortification to target land you control. Play this ability only any time you could play a
sorcery.”
502.65b For more information about Fortifications, see rule 212.2, “Artifacts.”
502.65c If a Fortification has multiple instances of fortify, any of its fortify abilities may be used.
502.66. Frenzy
502.66a Frenzy is a triggered ability. “Frenzy N” means “Whenever this creature attacks and isn’t
blocked, it gets +N/+0 until end of turn.”
502.66b If a creature has multiple instances of frenzy, each triggers separately.
502.67. Gravestorm
502.67a Gravestorm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. “Gravestorm” means “When
you play this spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each permanent that was put into a
graveyard from play this turn. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any
of the copies.”
502.67b If a spell has multiple instances of gravestorm, each triggers separately.
502.68. Lifelink
502.68a Lifelink is a triggered ability. “Lifelink” means “Whenever this permanent deals damage,
you gain that much life.”
502.68b If a permanent has multiple instances of lifelink, each triggers separately.
502.69. Poisonous
502.69a Poisonous is a triggered ability. “Poisonous N” means “Whenever this creature deals
combat damage to a player, that player gets N poison counters.” (For information about poison
counters, see rule 102.3d.)
502.69b If a creature has multiple instances of poisonous, each triggers separately.
502.70. Reach
502.70a Reach is a static ability.
502.70b A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or reach. (See
rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step” and rule 502.4, “Flying.”)
502.70c Multiple instances of reach on the same creature are redundant.
502.71. Transfigure
502.71a Transfigure is an activated ability. “Transfigure [cost]” means “[Cost], Sacrifice this
permanent: Search your library for a creature card with the same converted mana cost as this
permanent and put it into play. Then shuffle your library. Play this ability only any time you
could play a sorcery.”
502.72. Champion
502.72a Champion represents two triggered abilities. “Champion an [object]” means “When this permanent comes into play, sacrifice it unless you remove another [object] you control from the game” and “When this permanent leaves play, return the removed card to play under its owner’s control.”
502.72b The two abilities represented by champion are linked abilities as defined by rule 217.7d. 502.72c A permanent is “championed” by another permanent if the latter removes the former from
the game as the direct result of a champion ability. 502.73. Changeling
502.73a Changeling is a characteristic-defining ability. “Changeling” means “This object is every creature type.” This ability works in all zones. See rule 405.2.
502.73b Multiple instances of changeling on the same object are redundant.
502.74. Evoke
502.74a Evoke represents two abilities: a static ability that functions in any zone from which the
card can be played and a triggered ability that functions in play. “Evoke [cost]” means “You may play this card by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “When this permanent comes into play, if its evoke cost was paid, its controller sacrifices it.” Paying a card’s evoke cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
502.75. Hideaway
502.75a Hideaway represents a static ability and a triggered ability. “Hideaway” means “This permanent comes into play tapped” and “When this permanent comes into play, look at the top four cards of your library. Remove one of them from the game face down and put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. As long as that card remains removed from the game, it may be looked at by any player who has controlled this permanent.”
503. Copying Objects
503.1. Some objects become or turn another object into a “copy” of a spell, permanent, or card. Some
effects put a token into play as a copy of another object. (Certain older cards were printed with the
phrase “search for a copy.” This section doesn’t cover those cards, which have received new text in
the Oracle card reference.)
503.2. When copying an object, the copy acquires the copiable values of the original object’s
characteristics (name, mana cost, color, card type, supertype, subtype, expansion symbol, rules text,
power, toughness, loyalty) and, for an object on the stack, choices made when playing it (mode,
targets, the value of X, whether a kicker cost was paid, how it will affect multiple targets, and so
on). The “copiable values” are the values that are printed on the object, as modified by other copy
effects, by “as . . . comes into play” and “as . . . is turned face up” abilities that set characteristics,
and by abilities that caused the object to be face down. Other effects (including type-changing and
text-changing effects), status, and counters are not copied.
Example: Chimeric Staff is an artifact that reads “{X}: Chimeric Staff becomes an X/X
artifact creature until end of turn.” Clone is a creature that reads, “As Clone comes into
play, you may choose a creature in play. If you do, Clone comes into play as a copy of that
creature.” After a Staff has become a 5/5 artifact creature, a Clone comes into play as a
copy of it. The Clone is an artifact, not a 5/5 artifact creature. (The copy has the Staff’s
ability, however, and will become a creature if that ability is activated.)
Example: Clone comes into play as a copy of a face-down Grinning Demon (a creature with
morph {2}{B}{B}). The Clone is a colorless 2/2 creature with no name, no types, no
abilities, and no mana cost. It will still be face up. Its controller can’t pay {2}{B}{B} to turn
it face up.
503.3. The copy’s copiable values become the copied information, as modified by the copy’s status (see
rule 510). Objects that copy the object will use the new copiable values.
Example: Vesuvan Doppelganger reads, “As Vesuvan Doppelganger comes into play, you
may choose a creature in play. If you do, Vesuvan Doppelganger comes into play as a copy
of that creature except for its color and gains ‘At the beginning of your upkeep, you may
have this creature become a copy of target creature except for its color. If you do, this
creature gains this ability.’” A Vesuvan Doppelganger comes into play as a copy of Grizzly
Bears (a 2/2 green creature with no abilities). Then a Clone comes into play as a copy of the
Doppelganger. The Clone is a 2/2 blue Bear named Grizzly Bears that has the
Doppelganger’s upkeep-triggered ability.
Example: Tomoya the Revealer (a flipped flip card) becomes a copy of Nezumi Shortfang
(an unflipped flip card). Tomoya’s characteristics become the characteristics of Stabwhisker
the Odious, which is the flipped version of Nezumi Shortfang.
Example: A face-down Grinning Demon (a creature with morph) becomes a copy of a face-
up Branchsnap Lorian (a 4/1 green creature with trample and morph {G}). The Demon’s
characteristics become the characteristics of Branchsnap Lorian. However, since the
creature is face down, it remains a 2/2 colorless creature with no name, types, or abilities,
and no mana cost. It can be turned face up for {G}. If it’s turned face up, it will have the
characteristics of Branchsnap Lorian.
Example: A face-down Grinning Demon (a creature with morph) becomes a copy of
Wandering Ones (a 1/1 blue Spirit creature that doesn’t have morph). It will be a face-down
Wandering Ones. It remains a 2/2 colorless creature with no name, types, or abilities, and
no mana cost. Its controller can’t turn it face up as a special action. If an effect turns it face
up, it will have the characteristics of Wandering Ones.
503.4. Some effects cause a permanent that’s copying a permanent to copy a different object while
remaining in play. The change doesn’t trigger comes-into-play or leaves-play abilities. This also
doesn’t change any noncopy effects presently affecting the permanent.
Example: Unstable Shapeshifter reads, “Whenever a creature comes into play, Unstable
Shapeshifter becomes a copy of that creature and gains this ability.” It’s affected by Giant
Growth, which reads “Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn.” If a creature comes
into play later this turn, Unstable Shapeshifter will become a copy of that creature, but it
will still get +3/+3 from the Giant Growth.
503.5. An object that comes into play “as a copy” of another object becomes a copy as it comes into
play. It doesn’t come into play, and then become a copy of that permanent. If the text that’s being
copied includes any abilities that replace the comes-into-play event (such as “comes into play with”
or “as [this] comes into play” abilities), those abilities will take effect. Also, any comes-into-play
triggered abilities of the copy will have a chance to trigger.
Example: Skyshroud Behemoth reads, “Fading 2 (This creature comes into play with two
fade counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from it. If you
can’t, sacrifice it.)” and “Skyshroud Behemoth comes into play tapped.” A Clone that
comes into play as a copy of a Skyshroud Behemoth will also come into play tapped with two
fade counters on it.
Example: Striped Bears reads, “When Striped Bears comes into play, draw a card.” A
Clone comes into play as a copy of Striped Bears. The Clone has the Bears’ comes-into-play
triggered ability, so the Clone’s controller draws a card.
503.6. When copying a permanent, any choices that have been made for that permanent aren’t copied.
Instead, if an object comes into play as a copy of another permanent, the object’s controller will get
to make any “as comes into play” choices for it.
Example: A Clone comes into play as a copy of Chameleon Spirit. Chameleon Spirit reads,
in part, “As Chameleon Spirit comes into play, choose a color.” The Clone won’t copy the
color choice of the Spirit; rather, the controller of the Clone will get to make a new choice.
503.7. Because any choices that have been made for a permanent aren’t copied, sometimes a copy card
will gain an ability that refers to a choice that was never made. In that case, the choice is considered
to be “undefined.” If an ability refers to an undefined choice, that part of the ability has no effect.
Example: Voice of All comes into play and Unstable Shapeshifter copies it. Voice of All
reads, in part, “As Voice of All comes into play, choose a color.” and “Voice of All has
protection from the chosen color.” Unstable Shapeshifter never had a chance for a color to
be chosen for it, because it didn’t come into play as a Voice of All card, so the protection
ability doesn’t protect it from anything at all.
503.8. If an ability causes a player to make a choice as a copy comes into play, the copy will
“remember” that choice and continue to use it for its abilities if appropriate. If the choice is not
appropriate, it is considered to be “undefined.” If an ability refers to an undefined choice, that part
of the ability has no effect.
Example: A Vesuvan Doppelganger comes into play as a copy of Chameleon Spirit, and the
Doppelganger’s controller chooses blue. Later, the Doppelganger copies Quirion Elves. The
Elves has the ability, “{T}: Add one mana of the chosen color to your mana pool.” If the
mana ability of the Doppelganger is played, it will produce blue mana.
Example: A Vesuvan Doppelganger comes into play as a copy of Caller of the Hunt. Caller
of the Hunt reads, in part, “As Caller of the Hunt comes into play, choose a creature type.”
The Doppelganger’s controller chooses Goblin. Later, the Doppelganger copies Quirion
Elves. If the mana ability of the Doppelganger is played, it will fail to produce any mana. It
won’t produce Goblin mana.
503.9. Some copy effects give an ability to the copy as part of the copying process. This ability
becomes part of the copiable values for the copy, along with any other abilities that were copied.
Also, some copy effects specifically state that they don’t copy certain characteristics; they retain
their original values instead.
Example: Quirion Elves comes into play and an Unstable Shapeshifter copies it. The
copiable values of the Shapeshifter now match those of the Elves, except that the
Shapeshifter also has the ability “Whenever a creature comes into play, Unstable
Shapeshifter becomes a copy of that creature and gains this ability.” Then a Clone comes
into play as a copy of the Unstable Shapeshifter. The Clone copies the new copiable values
of the Shapeshifter, including the ability that the Shapeshifter gave itself when it copied the
Elves.
503.10. To copy a spell or activated ability means to put a copy of it onto the stack; a copy of a spell or ability isn’t “played.” A copy of a spell or ability copies both the characteristics of the spell or ability and all decisions made when it was played, including mode, targets, the value of X, and optional additional costs such as buyback. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”) Choices that are normally made on resolution are not copied. If an effect of the copy refers to objects used to pay its costs, it uses the objects used to pay the costs of the original spell or ability. A copy of a spell is owned by the player who controlled the spell or ability that created it. A copy of a spell or ability is controlled by the player who put it on the stack. A copy of a spell is itself a spell, even though it has no spell card associated with it. A copy of an ability is itself an ability.
Example: A player plays Fork, targeting an Emerald Charm. Fork reads, “Put a copy of target instant or sorcery spell onto the stack, except that it copies Fork’s color and you may choose new targets for the copy.” Emerald Charm reads, “Choose one — Untap target permanent; or destroy target non-Aura enchantment; or target creature loses flying until end of turn.” When the Fork resolves, it puts a copy of the Emerald Charm on the stack. The copy has the same mode that was chosen for the original Emerald Charm. It does not necessarily have the same target, but only because Fork allows choosing of new targets. Example: Fling is an instant that reads, “As an additional cost to play Fling, sacrifice a creature.” and “Fling deals damage equal to the sacrificed creature’s power to target creature or player.” When determining how much damage a copy of Fling deals, it checks the power of the creature sacrificed to pay for the original Fling.
503.10a A copy of a spell in a zone other than the stack ceases to exist. A copy of a card in any zone
other than the stack or the in-play zone ceases to exist. This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.
503.10b A copy of an ability has the same source as the original ability. If the ability refers to its source by name, the copy refers to that same object and not to any other object with the same name. The copy is considered to be the same ability by effects that count how many times that ability has resolved during the turn.
503.10c Some effects copy a spell or ability and state that its controller may choose new targets for
the copy. The player may leave any number of the targets unchanged, even if those targets
would be illegal. If the player chooses to change some or all of the targets, the new targets must
be legal. Once the player has decided what the copy’s targets will be, the copy is put onto the
stack with those targets.
503.11. If an effect refers to a permanent by name, the effect still tracks that permanent even if it
changes names or becomes a copy of something else.
Example: An Unstable Shapeshifter copies a Crazed Armodon. Crazed Armodon reads,
“{G}: Crazed Armodon gets +3/+0 and gains trample until end of turn. Destroy Crazed
Armodon at end of turn. Play this ability only once each turn.” If this activated ability of the
Shapeshifter is played, the Shapeshifter will be destroyed at end of turn, even if it’s no
longer a copy of Crazed Armodon at that time.
503.12. An effect that instructs a player to “play a copy” of an object follows the rules for playing spells
and abilities, except that the copy is played while another spell or ability is resolving. Playing a
copy of a nonland object follows steps 409.1a–h of rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated
Abilities,” then the copy becomes played. The played copy is a spell on the stack, and just like any
other spell it can resolve or be countered.
504. Face-Down Spells and Permanents
504.1. Two cards (Illusionary Mask and Ixidron) and the morph ability (see rule 502.26) allow spells
and permanents to be face down.
504.2. Face-down spells on the stack, face-down permanents in play, and face-down cards in the
phased-out zone have no characteristics other than those listed by the ability or rules that allowed
the card, spell, or permanent to be turned face down. Any listed characteristics are the copiable
values of that object’s characteristics. (See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects,” and rule
503, “Copying Objects.”) Objects that are put into play face down are turned face down before they
come into play, so the permanent’s comes-into-play abilities won’t trigger (if triggered) or have any
effect (if static). Objects that are played face down are turned face down before they are put onto the
stack, so effects that care about the characteristics of a spell will see only the face-down spell’s
characteristics. Any effects or prohibitions that would apply to playing an object with these
characteristics (and not the face-up object’s characteristics) are applied to playing this object.
504.3. At any time, you may look at a face-down spell you control on the stack, a face-down permanent
you control, or a face-down card in the phased-out zone you controlled when it phased out. You
can’t look at face-down cards in any other zone, face-down spells or permanents controlled by
another player, or face-down cards in the phased-out zone last controlled by another player. The
ability or rules that allow a permanent to be face down may also allow the permanent’s controller to
turn it face up. Spells normally can’t be turned face up.
504.4. If you control multiple face-down spells on the stack or face-down permanents in play, you must
ensure at all times that your face-down spells and permanents can be easily differentiated from each
other. This includes, but is not limited to, knowing the order spells were played, the order that face-
down permanents came into play, which creature attacked last turn, and any other differences
between face-down spells or permanents. Common methods for distinguishing between face-down
objects include using counters or dice to mark the different objects, or clearly placing those objects
in order on the table.
504.5. As a face-down permanent is turned face up, its copiable values revert to its normal copiable
values. Any effects that have been applied to the face-down permanent still apply to the face-up
permanent. Any abilities relating to the permanent coming into play don’t trigger and don’t have
any effect, because the permanent has already come into play.
504.6. If a face-down permanent moves from the in-play zone to any zone other than the phased-out
zone, its owner must reveal it to all players as he or she moves it. If a phased-out face-down object
moves to any zone other than the in-play zone, its owner must reveal it as he or she moves it. If a
face-down spell moves from the stack to any zone other than the in-play zone, its owner must reveal
it to all players as he or she moves it. At the end of each game, all face-down objects in play, in the
phased-out zone, or on the stack must be revealed to all players.
504.7. If a face-down permanent becomes a copy of another permanent, its copiable values become the
copiable values of that permanent, as modified by its face-down status. Its characteristics therefore
remain the same: the characteristics listed by the ability or rules that allowed it to be turned face
down. However, if it is turned face up, its copiable values become the values it copied from the
other permanent.
504.8. If a face-down permanent would have an “As [this permanent] is turned face up . . .” ability after
it’s turned face up, that ability is applied while that permanent is being turned face up, not
afterward.
505. Split Cards
505.1. Split cards have two card faces on a single card. The back of a split card is the normal Magic:
The Gathering card back.
505.2. In every zone except the stack, split cards have two sets of characteristics and two converted
mana costs. As long as a split card is a spell on the stack, only the characteristics of the half being
played exist. The other half’s characteristics are treated as though they didn’t exist.
505.3. Each split card that consists of two halves with different colored mana symbols in their mana
costs is a multicolored card while it’s not a spell on the stack. While it’s a spell on the stack, it’s
only the color or colors of the half being played.
505.4. Although split cards have two playable halves, each split card is only one card. For example, a
player who has drawn or discarded a split card has drawn or discarded one card, not two.
505.5. An effect that asks for a particular characteristic of a split card while it’s in a zone other than the
stack gets two answers (one for each of the split card’s two halves).
Example: Infernal Genesis has an ability that reads, “At the beginning of each player’s
upkeep, that player puts the top card from his or her library into his or her graveyard. He or
she then puts X 1/1 black Minion creature tokens into play, where X is that card’s converted
mana cost.” If the top card of your library is Assault/Battery when this ability resolves, the
game sees its converted mana cost as “1, and 4.” You get five creature tokens.
505.6. An effect that performs a positive comparison (such as asking if a card is red) or a relative
comparison (such as asking if a card’s converted mana cost is less than 2) involving characteristics
of one or more split cards in any zone other than the stack gets only one answer. This answer is
“yes” if either side of each split card in the comparison would return a “yes” answer if compared
individually.
An effect that performs a negative comparison (such as asking if cards have different names)
involving characteristics of one or more split cards in any zone other than the stack also gets only
one answer. This answer is “yes” if performing the analogous positive comparison would return a
“no” answer.
If an effect performs a comparison involving multiple characteristics of one or more split cards in
any zone other than the stack, each characteristic is compared separately. If each of the individual
comparisons would return a “yes” answer, the whole comparison returns a “yes” answer.
Example: Void reads, “Choose a number. Destroy all artifacts and creatures with
converted mana cost equal to that number. Then target player reveals his or her hand and
discards all nonland cards with converted mana cost equal to the number.” If a player plays
Void and chooses 1, his or her opponent would discard Assault/Battery because the game
sees its converted mana cost as “1, and 4.” The same is true if the player chooses 4. If the
player chooses 5, however, Assault/Battery would be unaffected.
505.7. If an effect instructs a player to name a card and the player wants to name a split card, the player
must name both halves of the split card.
506. Subgames
506.1. Some cards allow players to play a Magic subgame.
506.1a A “subgame” is a completely separate Magic game created by a card’s effect. The “main game” is the game in which the spell or ability that created the subgame was played. The main game is temporarily discontinued while the subgame is in progress. It resumes when the subgame ends.
506.1b No effects or definitions created in either the main game or the subgame have any meaning
in the other, except as defined by the effect that created the subgame. For example, the effect may say that something happens in the main game to the winner or loser of the subgame.
506.2. As the subgame starts, an entirely new set of game zones is created. Each player takes all the cards in his or her main-game library, moves them to his or her subgame library, and shuffles them. No other cards in a main-game zone are moved to their corresponding subgame zone. Randomly
determine which player goes first. The subgame proceeds like a normal game, following all other
rules in section 101, “Starting the Game.”
506.3. Any rules regarding the size of a player’s deck are ignored for the subgame. However, because each player draws seven cards when a game begins, any player with fewer than seven cards in his or her deck will lose the subgame when state-based effects are checked during the upkeep step of the first turn, regardless of any mulligans that player takes. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)
506.4. All objects in the main game and all cards outside the main game are considered outside the
subgame (except those specifically brought into the subgame). All players not currently in the
subgame are considered outside the subgame.
506.4a Some effects can bring cards into a game from outside of it. If a card is brought into a subgame from a main game, abilities in the main game that trigger on objects leaving a main-game zone will trigger, but they won’t be put onto the stack until the main game resumes.
506.5. At the end of a subgame, each player puts all cards he or she owns that are in the subgame into his or her library in the main game, then shuffles them. This includes cards in the subgame’s removed-from-the-game zone. (This is a change from previous rules.) All other objects in the subgame cease to exist, as do the zones created for the subgame. The main game continues from the point at which it was discontinued: First, the spell or ability that created the subgame finishes resolving, even if it was created by a spell card that’s no longer on the stack. Then, if any main-game abilities triggered while the subgame was in progress due to cards being removed from the main game, those abilities are put onto the stack.
Example: If a card was brought into the subgame either from the main game or from
outside the main game, that card will be put into its owner’s main-game library when the
subgame ends.
506.6. A subgame can be created within a subgame. The existing subgame becomes the main game in relation to the new subgame.
507. Controlling Another Player’s Turn
507.1. One card (Mindslaver) allows a player’s turn to be controlled by another player. This effect
applies to the next turn that the affected player actually takes. The entire turn is controlled; the
effect doesn’t end until the beginning of the next turn.
507.1a Multiple turn-controlling effects that affect the same player overwrite each other. The last
one to be created is the one that works.
507.1b If a turn is skipped, any pending turn-controlling effects wait until the player who would be
affected actually takes a turn.
507.1c Only the control of the turn changes. All objects are controlled by their normal controllers.
507.2. If information about an object would be visible to the player whose turn is controlled, it’s visible
to both that player and the controller of the turn.
Example: The controller of a player’s turn can see that player’s hand and the identity of
any face-down creatures he or she controls.
507.3. The controller of another player’s turn makes all choices and decisions that player is allowed to
make or is told to make during that turn by the rules or by any objects. This includes choices and
decisions about what to play, and choices and decisions called for by spells and abilities.
Example: The controller of the turn decides which spells to play and what those spells
target, and makes any required decisions when those spells resolve.
Example: The controller of the turn decides which of the player’s creatures attack, and how
those creatures assign their combat damage.
507.3a The controller of another player’s turn can use only that player’s resources (cards, mana, and
so on) to pay costs for that player.
Example: If the controller of the turn decides that the player will play a spell with an
additional cost of discarding cards, the cards are discarded from the player’s hand.
507.3b The controller of another player’s turn can’t make that player concede. A player may
concede the game at any time, even if his or her turn is controlled by another player. See rule
102.3a.
507.3c The controller of another player’s turn can’t make choices or decisions for that player that
aren’t called for by the rules or by any objects. The controller also can’t make any choices or
decisions for the player that would be called for by the tournament rules.
Example: The player whose turn it is still chooses whether he or she leaves to visit the
restroom, trades a card to someone else, takes an intentional draw, or calls a judge
about an error or infraction.
507.3d A player who controls another player’s turn also continues to make his or her own choices
and decisions.
507.4. A player doesn’t lose life due to mana burn while another player controls his or her turn.
(Unused mana in players’ mana pools is still lost when a phase ends. See rule 300.3.)
508. Flip Cards
508.1. Flip cards have a two-part card frame on a single card. The text that appears right side up on the
card defines the card’s normal characteristics. Additional alternative characteristics appear upside
down on the card. The back of a flip card is the normal Magic: The Gathering card back.
508.1a The top half of a flip card contains the card’s normal name, text box, type line, power, and
toughness. The text box usually contains an ability that causes the permanent to “flip” if certain
conditions are met.
508.1b The bottom half of a flip card contains an alternative name, text box, type line, power, and
toughness. These characteristics are used only if the permanent is in play and only if the
permanent is flipped.
508.1c A flip card’s color, mana cost, expansion symbol, illustration credit, and legal text don’t
change if the permanent is flipped. Also, any changes to it by external effects will still apply.
508.2. In every zone other than the in-play zone, and also in the in-play zone before the permanent
flips, a flip card has only the normal characteristics of the permanent. Once the flip permanent in the
in-play zone is flipped, the normal name, text box, type line, power, and toughness of the flip
permanent don’t apply and the alternative versions of those characteristics apply instead.
Example: Akki Lavarunner is a nonlegendary creature that flips into a legendary creature
named Tok-Tok, Volcano Born. An effect that says “search your library for a legendary
card” can’t find this flip card. An effect that says “legendary creatures get +2/+2” doesn’t
affect Akki Lavarunner, but it does affect Tok-Tok.
508.3. If you control a flip permanent, you must ensure that it’s clear at all times whether the permanent
is flipped or not, both when it’s untapped and when it’s tapped. Common methods for
distinguishing between flipped and unflipped permanents include using coins or dice to mark
flipped objects.
508.4. Flipping a permanent is a one-way process. Once a permanent is flipped, it’s impossible for it to
become unflipped. However, if a flipped permanent leaves play, it retains no memory of its status.
See rule 510, “Status.”
509. Ending the Turn
509.1. One card (Time Stop) ends the turn when it resolves. When an effect ends the turn, follow these
steps in order, as they differ from the normal process for resolving spells and abilities (see rule 413,
“Resolving Spells and Abilities”).
509.1a Remove every object on the stack from the game. Remove all attacking and blocking
creatures, if any, from combat. Remove all planewalkers from combat. All objects not in play or
on the stack that aren’t represented by cards will cease to exist the next time state-based effects
are checked (see rule 420, “State-Based Effects).
509.1b Check state-based effects. No player gets priority, and no triggered abilities are put onto the
stack.
509.1c The current phase and/or step ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. Skip any
phases or steps between this phase or step and the cleanup step.
509.2. No player gets priority during this process, so triggered abilities are not put onto the stack. If any
triggered abilities have triggered between the spell or ability resolving and the cleanup step ending,
there’s a chance to play spells and abilities in the cleanup step. Then there will be another cleanup
step before the turn finally ends (see rule 314.3).
509.3. Even though the turn ends, “at end of turn” triggered abilities don’t trigger because the end of
turn step is skipped.
510. Status
510.1. A permanent’s status is its physical state. There are three status categories, each of which has
two possible values: tapped/untapped, flipped/unflipped, and face up/face down. Each permanent
always has one of these values for each of these categories.
510.2. Status is not a characteristic, though it may affect a permanent’s characteristics.
510.3. Permanents come into play untapped, unflipped, and face up unless a spell or ability says
otherwise.
510.4. A permanent retains its status until a spell, ability, or game action changes it, even if that status
is not relevant to it.
Example: Dimir Doppelganger says “{1}{U}{B}: Remove target creature card in a
graveyard from the game. Dimir Doppelganger becomes a copy of that card and gains this
ability.” It becomes a copy of Jushi Apprentice, a flip card. Through use of Jushi
Apprentice’s ability, this creature flips, making it a copy of Tomoya the Revealer with the
Dimir Doppelganger ability. If this permanent then becomes a copy of Grizzly Bears, it will
retain its flipped status even though that has no relevance to Grizzly Bears. If its copy ability
is activated again, this time targeting a Nezumi Shortfang card (another flip card), this
permanent’s flipped status means it will have the characteristics of Stabwhisker the Odious
(the flipped version of Nezumi Shortfang) with the Dimir Doppelganger ability.
510.5. Only permanents have status. Cards not in play do not. Although a card in the removed-from-
the-game zone may be face down, this has no correlation to the face-down status of a permanent.
510.6. A permanent that phases out remembers its status, as well as other information about the
permanent (such as who controls it or whether it has any counters on it). It will phase in with the
same status it had when it phased out. If it was face down when it phased out, it will stay face down
in the phased-out zone.
511. Flipping a Coin
511.1. To flip a coin for an object that cares whether a player wins or loses the flip, the affected player
flips the coin and calls “heads” or “tails.” If the call matches the result, that player wins the flip.
Otherwise, the player loses the flip. Only the player who flips the coin wins or loses the flip; no
other players are involved.
511.2. To flip a coin for an object that cares whether the coin comes up heads or tails, each affected
player flips a coin without making a call. No player wins or loses this kind of flip.
511.3. If the coin that’s being flipped doesn’t have an obvious “heads” or “tails,” designate one side to
be “heads,” and the other side to be “tails.” Other methods of randomization may be substituted for
flipping a coin as long as there are two possible outcomes of equal likelihood and all players agree
to the substitution. For example, the player may roll an even-sided die and call “odds” or “evens,”
or roll an even-sided die and designate that “odds” means “heads” and “evens” means “tails.”
6. Multiplayer Rules 600. General
600.1. A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. This section contains
additional optional rules that can be used for multiplayer play.
600.2. These rules consist of a series of options that can be added to a multiplayer game and a number
of variant styles of multiplayer play. A single game may use multiple options but only one variant.
600.3. Many multiplayer Magic tournaments have additional rules not included here, including rules
for deck construction. See the most current Magic: The Gathering DCI Floor Rules for more
information. They can be found at www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.
600.4. Unlike two-player games, multiplayer games can continue after one or more players have left the
game.
600.4a. When a player leaves the game, all objects (see rule 200.8) owned by that player leave the
game, all spells and abilities controlled by that player on the stack cease to exist, and any
change-of-control effects which give that player control of any objects end. Then, if there are
any objects still controlled by that player, those objects leave the game. (Any objects leaving the
game this way that aren’t owned by the player leaving the game are placed in the removed-
from-the-game zone.) This is not a state-based effect. It happens as soon as the player leaves the
game. If the player who left the game had priority at the time he or she left, priority passes to the
next player in turn order who’s still in the game. A player leaving the game doesn’t affect
combat damage on the stack.
Example: Alex plays Control Magic, an Aura that reads, “You control enchanted
creature,” on Bianca’s Wall of Wood. If Alex leaves the game, so does Control Magic,
and Wall of Wood reverts to Bianca’s control. If, instead, Bianca leaves the game, so
does Wall of Wood, and Control Magic is put into Alex’s graveyard.
Example: Alex plays Threaten, which reads, in part, “Untap target creature and gain
control of it until end of turn,” targeting Bianca’s Wall of Wood. If Alex leaves the
game, Threaten’s change-of-control effect ends and Wall of Wood reverts to Bianca’s
control.
Example: Alex plays Bribery, which reads, “Search target opponent’s library for a
creature card and put that card into play under your control. Then that player shuffles
his or her library,” targeting Bianca. Alex puts Wall of Wood into play from Bianca’s
library. If Alex leaves the game, Wall of Wood leaves the game. If, instead, Bianca
leaves the game, Wall of Wood still leaves the game.
Example: Alex controls Genesis Chamber, which reads, “Whenever a nontoken creature
comes into play, if Genesis Chamber is untapped, that creature’s controller puts a 1/1
Myr artifact creature token into play.” If Alex leaves the game, all Myr tokens created
by Genesis Chamber while it was under Alex’s control leave the game as well because
Alex owns the tokens.
600.4b. If an object would change to the control of a player who has left the game, that object’s
control remains unchanged. If a token would be put into play under the control of a player who
has left the game, no token is created.
600.4c If an object owned by a player who has left the game would be put into any zone, it leaves
the game instead. (This includes abilities that would be put onto the stack.)
Example: Astral Slide is an enchantment that reads, “Whenever a player cycles a card,
you may remove target creature from the game. If you do, return that creature to play
under its owner’s control at end of turn.” During Alex’s turn, Bianca uses Astral Slide’s
ability to remove Alex’s Hypnotic Specter from the game. Before the end of that turn,
Bianca leaves the game. At end of turn, the delayed triggered ability generated by Astral
Slide that would return Hypnotic Specter to play triggers, but it leaves the game rather
than being put on the stack. Hypnotic Specter never returns to play.
600.4d If an object requires a player who has left the game to make a choice, the controller of the
object chooses another player to make that choice. If the original choice was to be made by an
opponent of the controller of the object, that player chooses another opponent if possible.
600.4e If an effect requires information about a specific player, the effect uses the current
information about that player if he or she is still in the game; otherwise, the effect uses the last
known information about that player before he or she left the game.
600.4f If a player leaves the game during his or her turn, that turn continues to its completion
without an active player. If the active player would receive priority, instead the next player in
turn order receives priority, or the top object on the stack resolves, or the phase or step ends,
whichever is appropriate.
600.5 In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards rather than six cards. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal. The Two-Headed Giant variant employs more extensive changes to the mulligan rule; see rule 606.6a.
601. Limited Range of Influence Option
601.1. Limited range of influence is an option that can be applied to most multiplayer games. It’s
always used in the Emperor variant (see rule 607), and it’s often used for games involving five or
more players.
601.2. A player’s range of influence is the maximum distance from that player, measured in player
seats, that the player can affect. Players within that many seats of the player are within that player’s
range of influence. Objects controlled by players within a player’s range of influence are also within
that player’s range of influence. Range of influence covers spells, abilities, effects, damage dealing,
attacking, making choices, and winning the game.
601.2a The most commonly chosen limited ranges of influence are 1 seat and 2 seats. Different
players may have different ranges of influence.
Example: A range of influence of 1 means that only you and the players seated directly
next to you are within your range of influence.
Example: A range of influence of 2 means that you and the two players to your left and
the two players to your right are within your range of influence.
601.2b A player is always within his or her own range of influence.
601.2c The particular players within each player’s range of influence are determined as each turn
begins.
Example: In a game with a range of influence of 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob, and
Carissa is seated to the right of Rob. Carissa is not in Alex’s range of influence. If Rob
leaves the game, Carissa will enter Alex’s range of influence at the start of the next turn.
601.2d An object is within a player’s range of influence if it’s controlled by that player or by
another player within that many seats of that player.
601.3. Creatures can attack only opponents within their controller’s range of influence. If no opponents
are within a player’s range of influence, creatures that player controls can’t attack.
601.4. Objects and players outside a player’s range of influence can’t be the targets of spells or abilities
that player controls.
601.5. Some cards require players to make choices. These cards work differently when the limited
range of influence option is used.
601.5a If a player is asked to choose an object or player, he or she must choose one within his or her
range of influence.
Example: In a game with a range of influence of 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob. Alex
activates the ability of Cuombajj Witches, which reads, “Cuombajj Witches deals 1
damage to target creature or player and 1 damage to target creature or player of an
opponent’s choice,” targeting Rob and choosing Rob as the opponent who picks the
other target. Rob must choose a target that’s in both his range of influence and in the
range of influence of the controller of Cuombajj Witches. He must therefore choose
himself, Alex, or a creature controlled by either himself or Alex.
601.5b If a player is asked to choose between one or more options (and not between one or more
objects or players), he or she can choose between those options even if those options refer to
objects or players outside the player’s range of influence.
Example: Alex, who has a range of influence of 2, is seated to the left of Rob, and
Carissa, who has range of influence of 1, is seated to the right of Rob. Alex plays a card
that reads, “An opponent chooses one — You draw 2 cards; or each creature you
control gets +2/+2 until end of turn,” and chooses Carissa to make that choice. Carissa
can choose the mode even though Alex is out of her range.
601.5c If an effect requires a choice and there’s no player who can make that choice within its
controller’s range of influence, the closest appropriate player to its controller’s left makes that
choice.
Example: In an Emperor game in which all players have range of influence 1, an
emperor plays Fact or Fiction, which reads, “Reveal the top five cards of your library.
An opponent separates those cards into two piles. Put one pile into your hand and the
other into your graveyard.” Since no opponent is within the emperor’s range of
influence, the nearest opponent to the emperor’s left separates the cards into piles.
601.6. A player can’t play the activated abilities of an object outside of his or her range of influence.
601.7. A triggered ability doesn’t trigger unless its trigger event happens entirely within the range of
influence of its source’s controller.
Example: In a game with range of influence limited to 1, Alex is seated to the left of Rob.
Rob controls two Auras attached to Alex’s Grizzly Bears: One with the trigger condition
“Whenever enchanted creature becomes blocked,” and one with the trigger condition
“Whenever enchanted creature becomes blocked by a creature.” Alex’s Grizzly Bears
attacks the player to Alex’s left and becomes blocked. The ability of Rob’s first Aura triggers
because the entire event (Grizzly Bears becomes blocked) happens within Rob’s range of
influence. The ability of Rob’s second Aura doesn’t trigger, however, because that event
includes the blocking creature, which is out of Rob’s range.
601.7a If a trigger event includes an object moving out of or into a player’s range of influence, use
the game state before or after the event as appropriate to determine whether the triggered ability
will trigger. See rule 410.10.
Example: Carissa and Alex are outside each other’s range of influence. Carissa
controls a creature owned by Alex and they each control a Soul Net, an artifact which
reads, “Whenever a creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may pay {1}. If you
do, you gain 1 life.” The creature is destroyed and is put into Alex’s graveyard. Alex’s
Soul Net doesn’t trigger because the destruction event was outside Alex’s range of
influence. Carissa’s Soul Net does trigger, even though the creature is going to a
graveyard outside her range, because the destruction event was within her range.
601.8. An Aura can’t enchant an object or player outside its controller’s range of influence. If an Aura
is attached to an illegal object or player, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard as a state-based
effect. See rule 420.
601.9. An Equipment can’t equip an object outside its controller’s range of influence, and a
Fortification can’t fortify an object outside its controller’s range of influence. If an Equipment or
Fortification is attached to an illegal permanent, it becomes unattached from that permanent but
remains in play. This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.
601.10. Spells and abilities can’t affect objects or players outside their controller’s range of influence.
The parts of the effect that attempt to affect an out-of-range object or player will do nothing. The
rest of the effect will work normally.
Example: In a six-player game where each player has range of influence 1, Alex plays
Pyroclasm, which reads, “Pyroclasm deals 2 damage to each creature.” Pyroclasm deals 2
damage to each creature controlled by Alex, the player to Alex’s left, and the player to
Alex’s right. No other creatures are dealt damage.
601.11. If a spell or ability requires information from the game, it gets only information from within its
controller’s range of influence. It doesn’t see objects or events outside its controller’s range of
influence.
Example: In a six-player game where each player has range of influence 1, Alex controls
Coat of Arms, which reads, “Each creature gets +1/+1 for each other creature in play that
shares a creature type with it.” Coat of Arms will boost Alex’s creatures based only on what
creatures are controlled by Alex, the player to Alex’s left, and the player to Alex’s right. It
won’t take other creatures into account.
Example: In the same game, Rob is sitting to the right of Alex. Coat of Arms will boost
Rob’s creatures based only on what creatures are controlled by Rob and Alex. They are the
only two players within range of both Rob and the controller of Coat of Arms.
601.12. The “legend rule” (see rule 420.5e) applies to a permanent only if other legendary permanents
with the same name are within its controller’s range of influence.
Example: Alex has range of influence 1, and Carissa has range of influence 2. Rob sits
between them. If Alex controls a legendary permanent and Carissa puts a legendary
permanent with the same name into play, only the one controlled by Carissa will be put into
a graveyard.
601.13. The “world rule” (see rule 420.5i) applies to a permanent only if other world permanents are
within its controller’s range of influence.
601.14. Replacement and prevention effects watch for a particular event to happen and then completely
or partially replace that event. The limited range of influence option can cause the modified event to
contain instructions that can’t be carried out, in which case the player simply ignores the impossible
instructions. See rule 419, “Replacement and Prevention Effects.”
601.14a If a replacement effect tries to cause a spell or ability to affect an object or player outside
its controller’s range of influence, that portion of the event does nothing.
Example: Alex plays Lava Axe (“Lava Axe deals 5 damage to target player”) targeting
Rob. In response, Rob plays Captain’s Maneuver (“The next X damage that would be
dealt to target creature or player this turn is dealt to another target creature or player
instead.”) with X = 3, targeting Carissa. Carissa isn’t in Alex’s range of influence.
When Lava Axe resolves, it deals only 2 damage to Rob and no damage to Carissa.
601.14b If a spell or ability creates an effect that prevents damage that would be dealt by a source, it
can affect only sources within the spell or ability’s controller’s range of influence. If a spell or
ability creates an effect that prevents damage that would be dealt to a creature or player, it can
affect only creatures and players within the spell or ability’s controller’s range of influence. If a
spell or ability creates an effect that prevents damage, but neither the source nor the would-be
recipient of the damage is specified, it prevents damage only if both the source and recipient of
that damage are within the spell or ability’s controller’s range of influence.
Example: Rob is within Alex’s range of influence, but Carissa is not. Alex controls an
enchantment that says, “Prevent all damage that would be dealt by creatures.” Carissa
attacks Rob with a creature. The creature deals combat damage to Rob.
Example: Rob is within Alex’s range of influence, but Carissa is not. Carissa plays
Lightning Blast (“Lightning Blast deals 4 damage to target creature or player”)
targeting Rob. In response, Alex plays Mending Hands (“Prevent the next 4 damage that
would be dealt to target creature or player this turn.”) targeting Rob. The damage to
Rob is prevented.
Example: Rob is within Alex’s range of influence, but Carissa is not. Carissa attacks
Rob with a creature, and Rob blocks with a creature. Alex plays Holy Day (“Prevent all
combat damage that would be dealt this turn.”) Carissa and Rob’s creatures deal
combat damage to each other.
601.15. If an effect states that a player wins the game, all of that player’s opponents within his or her range of influence lose the game instead.
602. Attack Multiple Players Option
602.1. Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple other players. If this option is
used, a player can also choose to attack only one player during a particular combat.
602.2. As the combat phase starts, the attacking player doesn’t choose an opponent to become the
defending player. Instead, all the attacking player’s opponents are defending players during the
combat phase.
602.2a Any rule, object, or effect that refers to a “defending player” refers to one specific defending
player, not to all of the defending players. This will usually be the defending player that the
creature with the ability is attacking; if there are multiple defending players that could be
chosen, the controller of the ability chooses one.
602.3. As the attacking player declares each attacking creature, he or she chooses a defending player for
it to attack. See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”
602.3a Restrictions and requirements that don’t apply to attacking a specific player are evaluated
based on the entire group of attacking creatures. Restrictions and requirements that apply to
attacking a specific player apply only to creatures attacking that player. The entire group of
attacking creatures must still be legal. See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”
Example: Rob attacks Alex with Grizzly Bears and attacks Carissa with a creature with
mountainwalk. Whether the creature with mountainwalk is unblockable depends only on
whether Carissa controls a Mountain.
602.3b Creatures in a band can’t attack different players. See rule 502.10, “Banding.”
602.4. If creatures are attacking more than one player, each defending player declares blockers in
APNAP order as the declare blockers step begins. (See rule 103.4 and rule 309, “Declare Blockers
Step.”) The first defending player declares all his or her blocks, then the second defending player,
and so on.
602.4a A defending player can block only with creatures he or she controls. Those creatures can
block only creatures attacking that player; they can’t block creatures attacking other players.
602.4b When determining whether a defending player’s blocks are legal, ignore any creatures
attacking other players and any blocking creatures controlled by other players.
602.5. Combat damage is assigned in APNAP order. Other than that, the combat damage step proceeds
just as in a two-player game. See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.”
603. Deploy Creatures Option
603.1. The Emperor variant always uses the deploy creatures option, and it can be used in other variants
that allow players to compete in teams. Multiplayer formats in which players compete as individuals
usually don’t use this option.
603.2. Each creature has the ability “{T}: Target teammate gains control of this creature. Play this
ability only any time you could play a sorcery.”
604. Attack Left and Attack Right Options
604.1. Some multiplayer games use the optional attack left or attack right rules.
604.1a If the attack left option is used, a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately to
his or her left. If a player’s nearest opponent to the left is more than one seat away, the player
can’t attack.
604.1b If the attack right option is used, a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately to
his or her right. If a player’s nearest opponent to the right is more than one seat away, the player
can’t attack.
605. Free-for-All Variant
605.1. In Free-for-All multiplayer games, a group of players compete as individuals against each other.
605.2. Any multiplayer options used are determined before play begins. The Free-for-All variant uses
the following default options.
605.2a The limited range of influence option usually isn’t used in Free-for-All games. If it is, each
player has the same range of influence, which is determined before play begins. See rule 601,
“Limited Range of Influence Option.”
605.2b Exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be used.
See rule 604, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options,” and rule 602, “Attack Multiple Players
Option.”
605.2c The deploy creatures option isn’t used in the Free-for-All variant.
605.3. The players are randomly seated around the table.
605.4. Free-for-All games use the normal rules for winning and losing the game. See rule 102,
“Winning and Losing.”
606. Two-Headed Giant Variant
606.1. Two-Headed Giant games are played with two teams of two players each.
606.2. No other multiplayer options are used in Two-Headed Giant games.
606.3. Each team sits together on one side of the table. Each team decides the order in which its players
sit. The player seated on the right within each team is the primary player, and the player seated on
the left is the secondary player.
606.4. The Two-Headed Giant variant has two unique features.
606.4a Each team has a shared life total, which starts at 30 life.
606.4b. Each team takes turns rather than each player.
606.5. With the exception of life total, a team’s resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not
shared in the Two-Headed Giant variant. Teammates may review each other’s hands and discuss
strategies at any time. Teammates can’t manipulate each other’s cards or permanents.
606.6. Timing of Team Turns
606.6a A player who is dissatisfied with his or her initial hand may mulligan. First, the starting team
takes any mulligans. For a team to take a mulligan, each player on that team decides whether to
shuffle his or her hand back into the deck and then draw a new hand of seven cards (see rule
101.4a). All players on that team who chose to do so take their mulligans at the same time. After
each player on that team who took a mulligan looks at his or her new hand, the team repeats the
process, resulting in a hand of one fewer card each time, until the hand size reaches zero cards.
Teammates may consult during this process, but a player can’t see the result of his or her
teammate’s mulligan before deciding whether to take a mulligan at the same time. Once a player
has decided to keep a hand, those cards become his or her opening hand. That player can’t take
any more mulligans, but his or her teammate may. Once each player on the starting team
decides to keep an opening hand, the other team may take mulligans.
606.6b. The team who plays first skips the draw step of their first turn.
606.6c Teams have priority, not individual players.
606.6d The Active Player, Nonactive Player order rule (see rule 103.4) is modified for Two-Headed
Giant play. The team whose turn it is is the active team. The other team is the nonactive team. If
both teams would make choices and/or take actions at the same time, first the active team makes
any choices required, then the nonactive team makes any choices required. Then the actions
happen simultaneously.
606.6e A player may play a spell or activated ability, or take a special action, only when his or her
team has priority. If both players on a team want to take an action at the same time, the primary
player decides who takes the action. Each player on a team draws a card during that team’s draw
step. Each player on a team may play a land during each of that team’s turns.
606.6f If multiple triggered abilities have triggered since the last time a team received priority, the
members of the active team put all triggered abilities either of them controls on the stack in any
order they choose, then the members of the nonactive team do the same.
606.6g If a team has priority and neither player on that team wishes to do anything, that team
passes. If both teams pass in succession (that is, if both teams pass without any player taking
any actions in between passing), the top object on the stack resolves, then the active team
receives priority. If the stack is empty when both teams pass in succession, the phase or step
ends and the next one begins.
606.6h If an effect gives a player an extra turn or adds a phase or step to that player’s turn, that
player’s team takes the extra turn, phase, or step. If an effect causes a player to skip a step,
phase, or turn, that player’s team does so. If a single effect causes both players on the same team
to add or skip the same step, phase, or turn, that team adds or skips only that step, phase, or turn.
If an effect causes a player to control another player’s turn, the controller of that effect controls
the affected player’s team’s turn.
606.6i If an effect instructs more than one player to draw cards in a Two-Headed Giant game, first
the primary player on the active team performs all of his or her draws, then the secondary player
on that team performs all of his or her draws, then the nonactive team does the same.
606.7. The Two-Headed Giant variant uses different combat rules than other multiplayer variants.
606.7a Each team’s creatures attack the other team as a group. During the combat phase, the active
team is the attacking team and each player on the active team is an attacking player. Likewise,
the nonactive team is the defending team and each player on the nonactive team is a defending
player.
Any one-shot effect or characteristic-defining ability that refers to the “defending player”
refers to one specific defending player, not to both of the defending players. The controller of
the effect or of the object with the characteristic-defining ability chooses which one the spell or
ability refers to. The same is true for any one-shot effect that refers to the “attacking player.”
All other cases in which the “defending player” is referred to actually refer to both defending
players. If the reference involves a positive comparison (such as asking whether the defending
player controls an Island) or a relative comparison (such as asking whether you control more
creatures than the defending player), it gets only one answer. This answer is “yes” if either
defending player in the comparison would return a “yes” answer if compared individually. If the
reference involves a negative comparison (such as asking whether the defending player controls
no black permanents), it also gets only one answer. This answer is “yes” if performing the
analogous positive comparison would return a “no” answer. The same is true for all other cases
that refer to the “attacking player.”
606.7b. As the declare attackers step begins, the active team declares attackers. If an effect of an
object controlled by a defending player prohibits a creature from attacking him or her, that
creature can’t attack the defending team. The active team has one combined attack, and that set
of attacking creatures must be legal as a whole.
Example: One player in a Two-Headed Giant game controls Teferi’s Moat, which says
“As Teferi’s Moat comes into play, choose a color.” and “Creatures of the chosen color
without flying can’t attack you.” Creatures of the chosen color without flying can’t
attack that player’s team.
606.7c As the declare blockers step begins, the defending team declares blockers. Creatures
controlled by the defending players can block any attacking creatures. The defending team has
one combined block, and that set of blocking creatures must be legal as a whole.
Example: If an attacking creature has forestwalk and either player on the defending
team controls a Forest, the creature can’t be blocked.
606.7d As the combat damage step begins, the active team announces how each attacking creature
will assign its combat damage. If an attacking creature would assign combat damage to the
defending team, the active team chooses only one of the defending players for that creature to
assign its combat damage to. Then the defending team announces how each blocking creature
will assign its combat damage.
606.8. The Two-Headed Giant variant uses the normal rules for winning or losing the game (see rule
102), with the following additions.
606.8a If a team’s life total is 0 or less, the team loses the game the next time a team would receive
priority. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
606.8b Players win and lose the game only as a team, not as individuals. If either player on a team
loses the game, the team loses the game. If either player on a team wins the game, the entire
team wins the game. If an effect would prevent a player from winning the game, that player’s
team can’t win the game. If an effect would prevent a player from losing the game, that player’s
team can’t lose the game.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Transcendence, which reads,
in part, “You don’t lose the game for having 0 or less life.” If that player’s team’s life
total is 0 or less, that team doesn’t lose the game.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player attempts to draw a card while there
are no cards in that player’s library. That player loses the game, so that player’s entire
team loses the game.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Platinum Angel, which reads,
“You can’t lose the game and your opponents can’t win the game.” Neither that player
nor his or her teammate can lose the game while Platinum Angel is in play, and neither
player on the opposing team can win the game.
606.8c If a player concedes, his or her team loses the game.
606.9. Damage, loss of life, and gaining life happen to each player individually. The result is applied to
the team’s shared life total.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player plays Flame Rift, which reads, “Flame
Rift deals 4 damage to each player.” Each team is dealt a total of 8 damage.
606.9a If an effect needs to know the value of an individual player’s life total, that effect uses the
team’s life total divided by two, rounded up, instead.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a team is at 17 life when a player activates
Heartless Hidetsugu’s ability, which reads, “Heartless Hidetsugu deals to each player
damage equal to half that player’s life total, rounded down.” For the purposes of this
ability, each player on that team is considered to be at 9 life. Heartless Hidetsugu deals
4 damage to each of those players, for a total of 8 damage. The team will end up at 9
life.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Test of Endurance, an
enchantment that reads, “At the beginning of your upkeep, if you have 50 or more life,
you win the game.” At the beginning of your upkeep, the player’s team wins the game
only if his or her share of the team’s life total is 50 or more. The team’s life total must be
99 or more for that to happen.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player controls Lurking Jackals, which
reads, “When an opponent has 10 life or less, if Lurking Jackals is an enchantment, it
becomes a 3/2 Hound creature.” If the opposing team has 22 life and 1 damage is dealt
to a particular opponent, Lurking Jackals won’t become a creature. The opposing
team’s life total must be 20 or less for that to happen.
606.9b If an effect would set the life total of each player on a team to a number, the result is the sum
of all the numbers.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player plays Biorhythm, which reads, “Each
player’s life total becomes the number of creatures he or she controls.” If one member
of a team that has 25 life controls three creatures and the other member controls four
creatures, that team’s life total becomes 7. The first player is considered to have lost 10
life (13 – 3), and the second player is considered to have lost 9 life (13 – 4), even though
the team didn’t lose a total of 19 life.
606.9c If an effect would set a single player’s life total to a number, that player’s individual life
total becomes that number. The team’s life total is adjusted by the amount of life that player
gained or lost.
Example: In a Two-Headed Giant game, a player on a team that has 25 life plays a spell
that reads, “Your life total becomes 20.” That player’s life total is considered to be 13
for the purpose of the spell, so it becomes 20 and the team’s life total becomes 32 (25 +
(20 – 13)).
606.10. The Two-Headed Giant variant can also be played with equally sized teams of more than two
players. Each team’s starting life total is equal to 15 times the number of players on the team.
(These variants are unofficially called Three-Headed Giant, Four-Headed Giant, and so on.)
607. Emperor Variant
607.1. The Emperor variant involves two or more teams of three players each.
607.2. Each team sits together on one side of the table. Each team decides the order in which it’s seated.
Each team has one emperor, who sits in the middle of the team. The remaining players on the team
are generals whose job is to protect the emperor.
607.3. The Emperor variant uses the following default options.
607.3a The range of influence is limited to 2 for emperors and 1 for generals. See rule 601,
“Limited Range of Influence Option.”
607.3b Emperor games use the deploy creatures option (see rule 603).
607.3c A player can attack only an opponent seated immediately next to him or her.
Example: At the start of an emperor game, neither emperor can attack any opponents,
even though both of the opposing generals are within their spell range.
607.4. Randomly determine which emperor goes first. Turn order goes to players’ left.
607.5. The Emperor variant uses the normal rules for winning and losing the game (see rule 102), with
the following addition.
607.5a A team loses the game if its emperor loses.
607.6. The Emperor variant can also be played with any number of equally sized teams. If the teams
have more than two players, the range of influence of each player should be adjusted.
607.7. In the Emperor variant, a team’s resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared.
Teammates may review each other’s hands and discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can’t
manipulate each other’s cards or permanents.
608. Grand Melee Variant
608.1. The Grand Melee variant is a modification of the Free-for-All variant, in which a group of
players compete against each other as individuals. Grand Melee is normally used only in games
begun with ten or more players.
608.2. Any multiplayer options used are decided before play begins. The Grand Melee variant uses the
following default options.
608.2a Each player has a range of influence of 1 (see rule 601).
608.2b The attack left option is used (see rule 604).
608.2c The attack multiple players and deploy creatures options aren’t used in the Grand Melee
variant.
608.3. The players are seated at random.
608.4. The Grand Melee variant allows multiple players to take turns at the same time. Moving turn
markers keep track of which players are currently taking turns. Each turn marker represents an
active player’s turn.
608.4a There is one turn marker for each full four players in the game.
Example: A Grand Melee game with sixteen players has four turn markers. A game with
fifteen players has three turn markers.
608.4b The starting player in the game gets the first turn marker. The player four seats to that
player’s left (the fifth player) takes the second turn marker, and so on until all the turn markers
have been handed out. Each turn marker is assigned a number in this way. Then all players with
turn markers start their turns at the same time.
608.4c When a player ends his or her turn, that player passes the turn marker to the player on his or
her left. A player can’t receive a turn marker if any player in the three seats to his or her left has
a turn marker. If this is the case, wait until the player four seats to his or her left takes the other
turn marker.
608.4d If an effect causes a player with a turn marker to take an extra turn after the current one, that
player keeps the turn marker and starts his or her next turn after the current turn ends, unless
another turn marker is too close on either side at that time. If a turn marker is within three seats
on the player’s left, the extra turn waits to begin until the player four seats to his or her left takes
the other turn marker. If a turn marker is within three seats on the player’s right, the player
passes the turn marker to his or her left when the turn ends rather than keeping it, and the player
will take the extra turn immediately before his or her next turn.
608.4e If a player leaves the game and that player leaving the game would reduce the number of
turn markers in the game, a turn marker is removed. Turn markers are removed only between
turns. Remove the turn marker immediately to the departed player’s right. If more than one
player has left the game and there are multiple turn markers that could be removed, remove the
marker with the lower number.
608.4f If an effect would cause a player to take an extra turn after the current turn, but that player
wouldn’t have a turn marker at the start of that turn, that player will take the extra turn
immediately before his or her next turn instead.
Example: During Alex’s turn, he plays Time Walk, which causes him to get an extra turn after this one. During the same turn, the player to Alex’s left leaves the game, which causes the number of turn markers to be reduced. After Alex’s current turn ends, his turn marker is removed. He won’t take the extra turn from Time Walk until just before his normal turn the next time he receives a turn marker.
608.5. Rather than having a single stack, Grand Melee games contain multiple stacks. Each turn marker
represents its own stack.
608.5a A player gets priority for a particular turn marker’s stack only if the turn marker is within his or her range of influence or an object on that stack is controlled by a player within his or her range of influence.
608.5b If a player has priority for multiple stacks and plays a spell or ability, or a triggered ability he or she controls triggers, the player must specify which one of those stacks the spell or ability is put on. If an object on one of those stacks caused the triggered ability to trigger, the player must put it on that stack. If a resolving spell or ability on one of those stacks causes a player to play a spell or create a copy of a spell, the new spell must be put on the same stack. If a spell or ability targets an object on one of those stacks, it must be put on the same stack as its target; it can’t target objects on multiple stacks.
608.6. The Grand Melee variant uses the normal rules for winning and losing the game.
609. Teams Variant
609.1. The Teams variant involves two or more teams of equal size.
609.2. Any multiplayer options used are determined before play begins. The Teams variant uses the
following default options.
609.2a The recommended range of influence is 2. See rule 601, “Limited Range of Influence
Option.”
609.2b Exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be used.
See rule 604, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options,” and rule 602, “Attack Multiple Players
Option.”
609.2c The deploy creatures option isn’t normally used in the Teams variant.
609.3. At the start of the game, players are seated so that no one is next to a teammate and each team is
equally spaced out.
Example: In a Teams game with three teams, A, B, and C, the seating around the table at
the start of the game is A1, B1, C1, A2, B2, C2, A3, B3, C3, and so on.
609.4. A player can’t attack opponents who aren’t seated next to him or her.
609.5. Team games use the normal rules for winning and losing the game (see rule 102).
609.6 In the Teams variant, a team’s resources (cards in hand, mana, and so on) are not shared.
Teammates can’t review each other’s hands unless they are sitting next to each other. Teammates
may discuss strategies at any time. Teammates can’t manipulate each other’s cards or permanents.
Glossary
Ability
“Ability” and “effect” are often confused with one another. An instruction in an object’s text is an ability.
The result of following such an instruction is an effect. For more information, see section 4, “Spells,
Abilities, and Effects.”
When an activated ability is played, it goes onto the stack and stays there until it’s countered, it resolves,
or it otherwise leaves the stack.
When an effect states that an object “gains” or “has” an ability, it’s granting that object an ability. If an
effect defines a property of an object (“[card or permanent] is [property]”), it’s not granting an ability. For
example, an Aura might read, “Enchanted creature is red.” The Aura isn’t granting an ability of any kind;
it’s simply changing the enchanted creature’s color to red.
Ability Word
An ability word appears in italics at the beginning of some abilities on cards. Ability words are similar to
keywords in that they tie together cards that have similar functionality, but they have no special rules
meaning and no individual entries in the Comprehensive Rules.
Absorb
Absorb is a static ability that prevents damage. “Absorb N” means “If a source would deal damage to this
creature, prevent N of that damage.” Each absorb ability can prevent only N damage from any one source
at any one time. See rule 502.61, “Absorb.”
Activated Ability
An activated ability is written as “activation cost: effect.” By paying the activation cost, a player may play
such an ability whenever he or she has priority. See rule 403, “Activated Abilities.”
Activation Cost
The activation cost of an activated ability is everything before the colon in “activation cost: effect.” It must
be paid to play the ability. See rule 403, “Activated Abilities.”
Example: The activation cost of an ability that reads “{2}, {T}: You gain 1 life” is two mana of any
color plus tapping the permanent.
Active Player
The active player is the player whose turn it is. The active player gets priority at the start of each phase or
step (except for the untap and cleanup steps), after any spell or ability (except a mana ability) resolves, and
after combat damage resolves.
Active Player, Nonactive Player Order
Whenever multiple players are instructed to make choices at the same time, the active player makes all his
or her choices first, then the nonactive players do so in turn order. This is called the “Active Player,
Nonactive Player order” rule, or “APNAP order” rule. See rule 103.4. This rule is modified for Two-
Headed Giant play; see rule 606.6d.
Active Team
In the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, the active team is the team whose turn it is. The active team
gets priority at the start of each phase or step (except for the untap and cleanup steps), after any spell or
ability (except a mana ability) resolves, and after combat damage resolves. See rule 606.6d.
Additional Cost
Some spells have additional costs listed in their text. These are paid at the same time the player pays the
spell’s mana cost. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”
Affinity
Affinity is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Affinity for [text]” means “This
spell costs you {1} less to play for each [text] you control.” The affinity ability reduces only generic mana
costs. It doesn’t reduce how much colored mana you have to pay for a spell. See rule 502.31, “Affinity.”
Alternative Cost
The rules text of some spells reads, “You may [action] rather than pay [this object’s] mana cost,” or
includes the phrase, “you may play [this object] without paying its mana cost.” These are alternative costs.
Only one such alternative cost can be applied to any one spell. Other spells and abilities that ask for a
spell’s mana cost still see the actual mana cost, not what was paid to play the spell. If an effect requires
paying additional costs to play a spell, it still applies to the alternative cost. See rule 409, “Playing Spells
and Activated Abilities.”
Amplify
Amplify is a static ability. “Amplify N” means “As this object comes into play, reveal any number of cards
from your hand that share a creature type with it. This permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on
it for each card revealed this way. You can’t reveal this card or any other cards that are coming into play at
the same time as this card.” See rule 502.27, “Amplify.”
Ante (Obsolete)
Earlier versions of the Magic rules included an ante rule as a way of playing “for keeps.” Playing Magic
games for ante is now considered an optional variation on the game, and it is allowed only where it’s not
forbidden by law or by other rules. Playing for ante is strictly forbidden under DCI tournament rules. When
using the ante rule, each player puts one random card from his or her deck into his or her ante zone at the
beginning of the game. At the end of the game, the winner becomes the owner of the cards in each player’s
ante zone. See rule 217.9, “Ante.”
APNAP Order
See Active Player, Nonactive Player Order.
Artifact
Artifact is a card type. The active player may play artifacts during his or her main phase when the stack is
empty. When an artifact spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control. See rule
212.2, “Artifacts.”
Artifact Creature
An artifact creature is a combination of artifact and creature, and it’s subject to the rules for both. See rule
212.2, “Artifacts.”
Artifact Land
An artifact land is a combination of artifact and land, and it’s subject to the rules for both. (See rule 212.2,
“Artifacts.”) Artifact lands can only be played as lands. They can’t be played as spells.
Artifact Type
Artifact subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Artifact — Equipment.”
Artifact subtypes are also called artifact types.
The list of artifact types, updated through the Lorwyn™ set, is as follows: Contraption, Equipment,
Fortification.
“As Though”
Text that states a player may do something “as though” some condition were true or a creature can do
something “as though” some condition were true applies only to the stated action. For purposes of that
action, treat the game exactly as if the stated condition were true. For all other purposes, treat the game
normally.
If two cards state that a player may (or a creature can) do the same thing “as though” different
conditions were true, both conditions could apply. If one “as though” effect satisfies the requirements for
another “as though” effect, then both effects will apply.
Assign Combat Damage
As the combat damage step begins, the active player or team announces how each attacking creature will
assign its combat damage. Then the defending player(s) announce how each blocking creature will assign
its combat damage. All assignments of combat damage go on the stack as a single entry. See rule 310,
“Combat Damage Step.
Attach
To attach an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to an object means to take it from where it currently is and
put it onto that object. If the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification no longer exists or the object it will move
onto is no longer in the correct zone when the effect would attach it, nothing happens. Similarly, an Aura,
Equipment, or Fortification can’t be attached to an object it couldn’t enchant, equip, or fortify, respectively.
The Aura, Equipment, or Fortification stays where it is, with two exceptions: If an Aura would phase in but
can no longer enchant the object it was attached to, it phases in and is then put into its owner’s graveyard as
a state-based effect; and if an Aura is coming into play from the stack and there is no legal object for it to
enchant, the Aura is put into its owner’s graveyard instead of coming into play. If an effect tries to attach an
Aura, Equipment, or Fortification to the object it’s already attached to, the effect does nothing.
Attaching an Aura in play to a different object causes the Aura to receive a new timestamp. Nothing else
about the Aura changes. The Aura never left play, so no comes-into-play or leaves-play triggered abilities
will trigger. If an ability of the moved Aura affecting “enchanted [object]” was on the stack when the Aura
moved, it will affect the new enchanted object when it resolves, not the old one. The same is true for moved
Equipment and Fortifications.
Attack
A creature attacks when it’s declared as an attacker during the combat phase. (See rule 308, “Declare
Attackers Step.”) Playing a spell or ability (even during the combat phase) is never considered to be an
attack.
Attack Alone
A creature is attacking alone when it’s the only creature declared as an attacker in a given combat phase.
See rule 306.5.
Attack Left Option
Some multiplayer games use the optional “attack left” rules. If the attack left option is used, a player can
attack only an opponent seated immediately to his or her left. If a player’s nearest opponent to the left is
more than one seat away, the player can’t attack. See rule 604, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options.”
Attack Multiple Players Option
Some multiplayer games allow the active player to attack multiple opponents. Each of the attacked players
is a defending player. Each defending player can block only the creatures attacking him or her. See rule
602, “Attack Multiple Players Option.”
Attack Right Option
Some multiplayer games use the optional “attack right” rules. If the attack right option is used, a player can
attack only an opponent seated immediately to his or her right. If a player’s nearest opponent to the right is
more than one seat away, the player can’t attack. See rule 604, “Attack Left and Attack Right Options.”
Attacking Creature
A creature becomes an attacking creature when (a) it’s declared as part of a legal attack during the combat
phase and (b) all costs to attack, if any, have been paid. It remains an attacking creature until it’s removed
from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. A creature may
also be put into play attacking. Attacking creatures don’t exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 308,
“Declare Attackers Step.”
Attacks and Isn’t Blocked
An ability that triggers when a creature “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers when the creature becomes an
unblocked attacking creature. See rule 309.2f.
Aura
Some enchantments have the subtype “Aura.” An Aura spell requires a target whose properties are
indicated by its enchant keyword ability. An Aura permanent comes into play attached to the object or
player the spell targeted. See rule 212.4, “Enchantments,” and rule 502.45, “Enchant.”
An Aura can enchant only an object or player whose properties are indicated by its enchant keyword
ability. An Aura attached to an illegal object or player, or not attached to an object or player, is put into its
owner’s graveyard. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
Aura Swap
Aura swap is an activated ability of some Aura cards. “Aura swap [cost]” means “[Cost]: You may
exchange this permanent with an Aura card in your hand.” If either half of the exchange can’t be
completed, the ability has no effect. See rule 502.62, “Aura Swap.”
Banding, “Bands with Other”
Banding is a static ability that modifies the rules for declaring attackers and assigning combat damage.
“Bands with other” is a specialized version of the ability. See rule 502.10, “Banding,” and rule 502.11,
“Bands with Other.”
Basic
Basic is a supertype. Any land with the supertype basic is a basic land. Any land without that supertype is a
nonbasic land. See rule 205.4, “Supertypes.”
Basic Land Type
There are five basic land types: Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest. Every basic land type has a
mana ability associated with it. See rule 212.6, “Lands.”
Becomes
Some trigger events use the word “becomes” (for example, “becomes tapped” or “becomes blocked”).
These trigger only at the time the named event happens—they don’t trigger if that state already exists or
retrigger if it persists. For example, “becomes tapped” triggers only when a permanent’s status changes
from untapped to tapped.
Beginning of Combat Step
The beginning of combat step is the first step of the combat phase. A player may play spells and abilities
during this step whenever he or she has priority. See rule 307, “Beginning of Combat Step.”
Beginning Phase
The beginning phase is the first phase of the turn. It has three steps: untap, upkeep, and draw. See rule 301,
“Beginning Phase.”
Block
A creature blocks when it’s declared as a blocker during the combat phase. See rule 309, “Declare Blockers
Step.”
Block Alone
A creature is blocking alone when it’s the sole creature controlled by the defending player declared as a
blocker in a given combat phase. See rule 306.5.
Blocked Creature
An attacking creature becomes a blocked creature when another creature blocks it or an effect causes it to
become blocked during the combat phase. It remains a blocked creature until it’s removed from combat, it
stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. A blocked creature doesn’t become
unblocked if the blocking creature is later removed from combat. Blocked creatures don’t exist outside of
the combat phase. See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”
Blocking Creature
A creature becomes a blocking creature when (a) it’s declared as part of a legal block during the combat
phase and (b) all costs to block, if any, have been paid. It remains a blocking creature until it’s removed
from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends. A creature may
also be put into play blocking. Blocking creatures don’t exist outside of the combat phase. See rule 309,
“Declare Blockers Step.”
Bloodthirst
Bloodthirst is a static ability. “Bloodthirst N” means “If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this
permanent comes into play with N +1/+1 counters on it.” See rule 502.50, “Bloodthirst.”
Bury (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the term “bury,” which meant to put a permanent into its owner’s
graveyard. In general, cards that were printed with the term “bury” now read, “Destroy [a permanent]. It
can’t be regenerated,” or “Sacrifice [a permanent].”
Bushido
Bushido is a triggered ability. “Bushido N” means “Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked, it
gets +N/+N until end of turn.” (See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”)
Buyback
Buyback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities that function while the
spell is on the stack. “Buyback [cost]” means “You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell” and
“If the buyback cost was paid, put this spell into its owner’s hand instead of into that player’s graveyard as
it resolves.” Paying a spell’s buyback cost follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and
409.1f–h. See rule 502.16, “Buyback.”
Cantrip (Informal)
This is a nickname for any spell that has “Draw a card” as part of its effect.
Card
When a rule or text on a card refers to a “card,” it means a Magic card with a Magic card front and the
Magic card back. Tokens aren’t considered cards—even a card that represents a token isn’t considered a
card for rules purposes. See rule 200.1.
Use the Oracle card reference to determine a card’s text.
Card Type The card type is printed on a card’s type line, directly below its illustration. Each card type has its own
rules for how to play with one. The card types are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal. See rule 205, “Type Line,” and rule 212, “Card Type, Supertype, and
Subtype.” Tokens and copies of spells have card types, even though they’re not cards. When an effect changes an object’s card type, the new card type replaces all previous card types. If the
effect is adding a card type, or allowing an object to retain its card types, it will say so. See rule 212.1c.
Cast (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “cast” to describe the playing of a spell. In general, cards that were printed
with the term “cast” now use the term “play.”
Caster (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “caster” to describe the player who played a spell. In general, cards that
were printed with the term “caster” now refer to the object’s “controller.”
Casting Cost (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “casting cost” to describe the mana cost of a spell. In general, cards that
were printed with the term “casting cost” now use the term “mana cost.” Cards that used the term “total
casting cost” now use the term “converted mana cost.”
Champion Champion is a keyword ability that represents two triggered abilities. “Champion an [object]” means “When this permanent comes into play, sacrifice it unless you remove another [object] you control from the game” and “When this permanent leaves play, return the removed card to play under its owner’s control.”
See rule 502.72, “Champion.”
A permanent is “championed” by another permanent if the latter removes the former from the game as the direct result of a champion ability. Change a Target
The target of a spell or ability can change only to another legal target. If the target can’t change to another
legal target, the original target is unchanged. Changing a spell or ability’s target can’t change its mode. You
can change the target of a spell or ability only if an effect tells you to change its target. See rule 415.7,
“Changing Targets.”
Changeling Changeling is a keyword ability that represents a characteristic-defining ability. “Changeling” means “This object is every creature type.” This ability works in all zones. See rule 502.73, “Changeling.”
Characteristics
An object’s characteristics are name, mana cost, color, card type, subtype, supertype, expansion symbol,
rules text, abilities, power, toughness, and loyalty. Characteristics don’t include any other information, such
as whether a permanent is tapped, a spell or permanent’s controller, a spell’s target, what an Aura enchants,
and so on. See rule 201, “Characteristics.”
Characteristic-Defining Ability
Some objects have intrinsic static abilities that define the object’s colors, subtypes, power, or toughness.
These abilities are characteristic-defining abilities, and they function in all zones. See rule 405.2.
Clash To “clash,” a player reveals the top card of his or her library. That player may then put that card on the bottom of his or her library. “Clash with an opponent” means “Choose an opponent. You and that opponent each clash.” A player wins a clash if that player revealed a card with a higher converted mana cost than all other cards revealed in that clash. See rule 501.10, “Clash.”
Cleanup Step
Cleanup is the second and final step of the end phase. Spells and abilities may be played during this step
only if the conditions for any state-based effects exist or if any abilities have triggered. In that case, the step
repeats. See rule 314, “Cleanup Step.”
Collector Number
Some card sets feature collector numbers. This information is printed in the form [card number]/[total cards
in the set], immediately following the legal text. These numbers have no effect on game play. See rule 210,
“Information Below the Text Box.”
Color
The only colors in the Magic game are white, blue, black, red, and green. An object can be one or more of
those colors or it can be colorless. “Colorless” isn’t a color; neither are “artifact,” “land,” “brown,” “gold,”
and so on. See rule 203.2.
An object’s color is determined by the color(s) of the mana symbols in its mana cost. A hybrid mana
symbol is each of its component colors.
Effects may change an object’s color. If an effect gives an object a new color, the new color replaces all
previous colors the object had.
Colorless
An object with no color is colorless. Lands are colorless because they have no mana cost. Most artifacts are
colorless because they have no colored mana in their mana costs. Face-down creatures are colorless due to
the effects that turn them face down. A colorless object can be given a color by an effect. See rule 203.2.
Colorless mana
Numeral symbols (such as {1}) and variable symbols (such as {X}) can represent colorless mana if they
appear in the effect of a spell or ability that reads, “add [mana symbol] to your mana pool,” or something
similar. See rule 104.3d.
Combat Damage
Combat damage is dealt during the combat damage step of the combat phase by attacking creatures and
blocking creatures. It doesn’t include damage dealt by spells and abilities during the combat phase. See rule
310, “Combat Damage Step.”
Combat Damage Step
The combat damage step is the fourth step of the combat phase. Attacking and blocking creatures deal
damage in the combat damage step. A player may play spells and abilities during this step whenever he or
she has priority. See rule 310, “Combat Damage Step.” If any attacking or blocking creature has first strike
(see rule 502.2) or double strike (see rule 502.28), there are two combat damage steps.
Combat Phase
Combat is the third phase of the turn. The combat phase has five steps: beginning of combat, declare
attackers, declare blockers, combat damage, and end of combat. See rules 306–311.
Comes into Play
A permanent comes into play when the card or token representing it is moved into the in-play zone. A
permanent whose card type or controller changes doesn’t “come into play.”
Permanents come into play untapped and under the control of whoever put them into play.
When a permanent comes into play, first apply any replacement effects, then apply continuous effects,
then check to determine if the current form of the permanent generates any triggered abilities.
Example: If an instruction causes something to come into play tapped, it isn’t put into play untapped
and then tapped.
Concede
A player may concede a game at any time. A player who concedes leaves the game immediately. He or she
loses the game. See rule 102, “Winning and Losing.”
Constructed
In constructed play, each player needs his or her own deck of at least sixty cards, small items to represent
any tokens and counters, and some way to clearly track life totals. A constructed deck can have any number
of basic land cards and no more than four of any card with a particular English name other than basic land
cards. See rule 100.2.
Continuous Effect
Continuous effects are usually active as long as the permanent with the associated static ability remains in
play or the object with the associated static ability remains in the appropriate zone.
A spell or ability can create a continuous effect that doesn’t depend on a permanent. These last as long
as the spell or ability specifies. If no duration is specified, a continuous effect lasts the rest of the game. See
rule 418, “Continuous Effects.”
Continuous Artifact (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “continuous artifact” on the card’s type line. They were artifacts without
activated abilities. Cards that were printed with the term “continuous artifact” now simply use “artifact.”
Control, Controller
A permanent’s controller is whoever put it into play unless the spell or ability that put the permanent into
play states otherwise. Other effects can later change a permanent’s controller.
A spell or activated ability on the stack is controlled by whoever played it. A copy of a spell is
controlled by the player who put it on the stack. A triggered ability on the stack is controlled by the player
who controlled its source at the time it triggered, unless it’s a delayed triggered ability. The controller of a
delayed triggered ability is the player who controlled the spell or ability that created it.
Objects in zones other than in play or the stack have no controller. If anything asks for the controller of
an object that doesn’t have a controller, use its owner instead.
Controlling Another Player’s Turn
One card (Mindslaver) allows a player to control another player’s turn. The controller of another player’s
turn makes all choices and decisions that player is allowed to make, or is told to make, during that turn by
rules or by any objects. A player doesn’t lose life due to mana burn while another player controls his or her
turn. See rule 507, “Controlling Another Player’s Turn.”
Converted Mana Cost
The converted mana cost of an object is the total amount of mana in its mana cost, regardless of color. If an
object has no mana cost, its converted mana cost is 0. See rule 203, “Mana Cost and Color.”
Example: An Air Elemental has a mana cost of {3}{U}{U} and a converted mana cost of 5.
Convoke
Convoke is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Convoke” means “As an additional
cost to play this spell, you may tap any number of untapped creatures you control. Each creature tapped this
way reduces the cost to play this spell by {1} or by one mana of any of that creature’s colors.” Using the
convoke ability follows the rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h. See rule 502.46,
“Convoke.”
Copiable Values
An object’s “copiable values” are the values that are printed on the object, as modified by other copy
effects, plus any values set for face-down spells or permanents and any values set by “comes into play as”
abilities. Other effects (including type-changing effects) and counters are not copied. See rules 503.2 and
503.3.
Copy
A “copy” of an object is an object whose copiable values have been set to those of the first object. See rule
503, “Copying Objects.”
Cost
Playing spells and activated abilities requires paying a cost. Most costs are paid in mana, but costs may also
include paying life, tapping or sacrificing permanents, discarding cards, and so on.
A player can’t pay a cost unless he or she has the necessary resources to pay it fully. For example, a
player with only 1 life can’t pay a cost of 2 life, and a permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped to
pay a cost. See rule 424, “Costs,” rule 203, “Mana Cost and Color,” and rule 403, “Activated Abilities.”
Some spells and abilities have no cost. In such instances, the cost can’t be paid.
Counter
Counter has two meanings in the Magic game.
1. To counter a spell or ability is to cancel it, removing it from the stack. It doesn’t resolve and none of
its effects occur. A countered spell is put into its owner’s graveyard. See rule 414, “Countering Spells and
Abilities.”
2. A counter is a marker placed on an object, either modifying its characteristics or interacting with an
effect. A +X/+Y counter on a permanent, where X and Y are numbers, adds X to that permanent’s power
and Y to that permanent’s toughness. These bonuses are added after permanent-type changing effects and
after most other power and toughness changing effects. Similarly, -X/-Y counters subtract from power and
toughness. See rule 418.5a. Counters with the same name or description are interchangeable. Counters may
also be given to players. For information about poison counters, see rule 102.3d.
If a permanent has both a +1/+1 counter and a -1/-1 counter on it, N +1/+1 and N -1/-1 counters are
removed from it, where N is the smaller of the number of +1/+1 and -1/-1 counters on it. This is a state-
based effect; see rule 420.5n.
Counts As (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with text stating that the card “counts as” something. As far as the game
rules and other cards are concerned, the card is that thing. (Newer Magic cards use “is” instead.)
Creature
Creature is a card type. The active player may play creatures during his or her main phase when the stack is
empty. When a creature spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her control. See rule
212.3, “Creatures.”
Creature Type
Creatures and tribals share the same set of subtypes. These subtypes are always a single word and are listed
after a long dash: “Creature — Human Soldier,” “Artifact Creature — Golem,” and so on. These subtypes
are also called creature types.
The list of creature types, updated through the Lorwyn set, is as follows:
Advisor, Anemone, Angel, Anteater, Antelope, Ape, Archer, Archon, Artificer, Assassin, Assembly-Worker, Atog, Aurochs, Avatar, Badger, Barbarian, Basilisk, Bat, Bear, Beast, Beeble, Berserker, Bird, Blinkmoth, Boar, Bringer, Brushwagg, Camarid, Camel, Caribou, Carrier, Cat, Centaur, Cephalid, Chimera, Citizen, Cleric, Cockatrice, Construct, Coward, Crab, Crocodile, Cyclops, Dauthi, Demon, Deserter, Devil, Djinn, Dragon, Drake, Dreadnought, Drone, Druid, Dryad, Dwarf, Efreet, Egg, Elder, Elemental, Elephant, Elf, Elk, Eye, Faerie, Ferret, Fish, Flagbearer, Fox, Frog, Fungus, Gargoyle, Giant, Gnome, Goat, Goblin, Golem, Gorgon, Graveborn, Gremlin, Griffin, Hag, Harpy, Hellion, Hippo, Homarid, Homunculus, Horror, Horse, Hound, Human, Hydra, Illusion, Imp, Incarnation, Insect, Jellyfish, Juggernaut, Kavu, Kirin, Kithkin, Knight, Kobold, Kor, Kraken, Lammasu, Leech, Leviathan, Lhurgoyf, Licid, Lizard, Manticore, Masticore, Mercenary, Merfolk, Metathran, Minion, Minotaur, Monger, Mongoose, Monk, Moonfolk, Mutant, Myr, Mystic, Nautilus, Nephilim, Nightmare, Nightstalker, Ninja, Nomad, Octopus, Ogre, Ooze, Orb, Orc, Orgg, Ouphe, Ox, Oyster, Pegasus, Pentavite, Pest, Phelddagrif, Phoenix, Pincher, Pirate, Plant, Prism, Rabbit, Rat, Rebel, Reflection, Rhino, Rigger, Rogue, Salamander, Samurai, Sand, Saproling, Satyr, Scarecrow, Scorpion, Scout, Serf, Serpent, Shade, Shaman, Shapeshifter, Sheep, Skeleton, Slith, Sliver, Slug, Snake, Soldier, Soltari, Spawn, Specter, Spellshaper, Sphinx, Spider, Spike, Spirit, Splinter, Sponge, Squid, Squirrel, Starfish, Survivor, Tetravite, Thalakos, Thopter, Thrull, Treefolk, Triskelavite, Troll, Turtle, Unicorn, Vampire, Vedalken, Viashino, Volver, Wall, Warrior, Weird, Whale, Wizard, Wolf, Wolverine, Wombat, Worm, Wraith, Wurm, Yeti, Zombie, Zubera
Cumulative Upkeep
Cumulative upkeep is a triggered ability that imposes an increasing cost on a permanent. “Cumulative upkeep [cost]” means “At the beginning of your upkeep, put an age counter on this permanent. Then you may pay [cost] for each age counter on it. If you don’t, sacrifice it.” If [cost] has choices associated with it, each choice is made separately for each age counter, then either the entire set of costs is paid, or none of them are paid. Partial payments aren’t allowed. Note that if a permanent has more than one instance of cumulative upkeep, each creates a separate triggered ability at the beginning of upkeep that counts all the age counters on the permanent from all abilities. See rule 502.13, “Cumulative Upkeep.”
Cycling
Cycling is an activated ability that functions only while the card with cycling is in a player’s hand.
“Cycling [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Draw a card.” See rule 502.18, “Cycling.”
Damage
Damage can be dealt to creatures, planeswalkers, and players.
Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.
Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that planeswalker to lose that much loyalty.
Damage dealt to a creature stays on the permanent until the cleanup step, even if it stops being a
creature. A creature with damage greater than or equal to its toughness has been dealt lethal damage and is
destroyed. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”) Damage doesn’t alter a creature’s toughness. During the
cleanup step, all damage is removed from permanents.
Costs and effects that read “lose life” or “pay life” don’t deal damage, and that loss of life can’t be
prevented or otherwise altered by effects that prevent or replace damage.
Deathtouch
Deathtouch is a triggered ability. “Deathtouch” means “Whenever this permanent deals damage to a
creature, destroy that creature.” If a permanent has multiple instances of deathtouch, each triggers
separately. See rule 502.63, “Deathtouch.”
Deck
A player’s deck is the collection of cards that player starts the game with. When the game begins, each
player’s deck becomes his or her library. See section 100, “General,” and section 101, “Starting the Game.”
Declare Attackers
To declare attackers, the active player chooses a set of creatures that will attack, declares whether each
creature is attacking the defending player or a planeswalker that player controls, and pays any costs
required to allow those creatures to attack. Only creatures can attack, and the following creatures can’t
attack: tapped creatures (even those that can attack without tapping) and creatures the active player didn’t
control continuously since the beginning of the turn (except those with haste). Other effects may also affect
whether or not a set of creatures could attack. See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”
Declare Attackers Step
The declare attackers step is the second step of the combat phase. The active player declares attackers
during this step (or chooses not to attack). Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells
and abilities. See rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step.”
Declare Blockers
To declare blockers, the defending player chooses a set of creatures that will block and pays any costs they
require to block. Only untapped creatures can block, but blocking doesn’t cause creatures to tap. Other
effects may also affect whether or not a set of creatures could block. See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and
Blocks.”
Declare Blockers Step
The declare blockers step is the third step of the combat phase. The defending player declares blockers
during this step (or chooses not to block). Then the active player gets priority and players may play spells
and abilities. See rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step.”
Defender
Defender is a static ability. Creatures with defender can’t attack.
Defending Player
During the combat phase, the active player is attacking and is the attacking player. As the combat phase
starts, the active player chooses one opponent. The chosen opponent is the defending player. Creatures can
attack only the defending player or a planeswalker the defending player controls; they can’t attack other
creatures. During phases other than combat, there is no defending player. See rule 306.2.
If the “attack multiple players” option is used in a multiplayer game, there can be more than one
defending player. See rule 602, “Attack Multiple Players Option.” The Two-Headed Giant variant uses
different combat rules than other multiplayer variants; see rule 606.7.
Delayed Triggered Ability
A delayed triggered ability is created by effects generated when some spells or abilities resolve. See rule
404.4.
Delve
Delve is a static ability that functions while the spell that has it is on the stack. “Delve” means “As an
additional cost to play this spell, you may remove any number of cards in your graveyard from the game.
Each card removed this way reduces the cost to play this spell by {1}.” Using the delve ability follows the
rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h. See rule 502.64, “Delve.”
Depend On
An effect is said to “depend on” another if it is applied at the same time as the other effect and applying the
other would change the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of
the things it applies to. See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”
Deploy Creatures Option
Some multiplayer games allow players to give creatures to their teammates. If the deploy creatures option
is used, each creature has the ability “{T}: Target teammate gains control of this creature. Play this ability
only any time you could play a sorcery.” See rule 603, “Deploy Creatures Option.”
Destroy
To destroy a permanent is to move it from the in-play zone to its owner’s graveyard. Regeneration or other
destruction-replacement effects can replace this action. See rule 419, “Replacement and Prevention
Effects.”
Discard
A player discards a card by putting a card from his or her hand into his or her graveyard. By default, effects
that cause a player to discard a card allow the affected player to choose which card to discard. Some
effects, however, require a random discard or allow another player to choose which card is discarded.
Distribute
Distribute has its normal English meaning in the Magic game. If a spell or ability requires a player to
distribute something (such as counters) as he or she chooses among one or more targets, or among any
number of untargeted objects or players, then each of these targets, objects, or players must receive at least
one of whatever is being distributed. See rules 409.1e and 310.2.
Divide
Divide has its normal English meaning in the Magic game. If a spell or ability requires a player to divide
something (such as damage or counters) as he or she chooses among one or more targets, or any number of
untargeted objects or players, then each of these targets, objects, or players must receive at least one of
whatever is being divided. This doesn’t apply to dividing combat damage. See rules 409.1e and 310.2.
Double Strike
Double strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. Creatures with double
strike deal combat damage in both the first-strike combat damage step and the normal combat damage step.
See rule 502.28, “Double Strike.”
Draw
Draw has two meanings in the Magic game.
1. A player draws a card by putting the top card of his or her library into his or her hand. This is done as
a game action during each player’s draw step. It may also be done as part of a cost or effect of a spell or
ability. If an effect moves cards from a player’s library to that player’s hand without using the word
“draw,” the player has not drawn those cards. This makes a difference for abilities that trigger on drawing
cards or that replace card draws, as well as if the player’s library is empty. See rule 423, “Drawing a Card.”
2. A drawn game is a game where the game ends and there is no winner. See rule 102.4.
Draw Step
The draw step is the third step of the beginning phase. As the draw step begins, the active player draws a
card (this game action does not use the stack). Then the active player gets priority and players may play
spells and abilities. See rule 304, “Draw Step.”
Dredge
Dredge is a static ability that functions only while the card with dredge is in a player’s graveyard. “Dredge
N” means “As long as you have at least N cards in your library, if you would draw a card, you may instead
put N cards from the top of your library into your graveyard and return this card from your graveyard to
your hand.” A player with fewer cards in his or her library than the number required by a dredge ability
can’t put any of them into his or her graveyard this way. See rule 502.47, “Dredge.”
Dual Land (Informal)
The Ravnica block and early Magic core sets contain “dual lands”; each of these has two basic land types.
For example, Temple Garden has the land types Forest and Plains. Dual land cards have the default abilities
of both basic land types and are treated as both by all spells and abilities that specifically refer to those land
types. However, they are not basic lands. A dual land doesn’t count as two lands while in play—it’s just
one land with multiple land types.
During (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the phrase “during [phase], [action].” These abilities were called “phase abilities.”
In general, cards that were printed with phase abilities now have abilities that trigger at the beginning of a
step or phase. “During” still appears in current card text, but only in its normal English sense and not as
game terminology.
Echo
Echo is a triggered ability. “Echo [cost]” means “At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent came
under your control since the beginning of your last upkeep, sacrifice it unless you pay its echo cost.” Urza
block cards with the echo ability were printed without an echo cost; these cards have been given errata to
have an echo cost equal to their mana cost. See rule 502.19, “Echo.”
Effect
“Ability” and “effect” are often confused with one another. When a spell or ability resolves, it may create
one or more one-shot or continuous effects. Static abilities may create one or more continuous effects.
Some effects are replacement effects or prevention effects. State-based effects are not created by spells or
abilities; they are generated by specific states of the game. See rule 416, “Effects.”
Emperor
Emperor is a multiplayer variant with its own rules. The Emperor variant involves two or more teams of
three players each. Each team sits together on one side of the table. Each team has one emperor, who sits in
the middle of the team. The remaining players on the team are generals whose job is to protect the emperor.
In addition to the normal rules for winning and losing, a team loses if its emperor loses the game. See rule
607, “Emperor Variant.”
The Emperor variant uses the following default multiplayer options: (a) The range of influence is
limited to 2 for emperors and 1 for generals (see rule 601), (b) Emperor games use the deploy creatures
option (see rule 603), and (c) a player can attack only an opponent seated immediately next to him or her.
Enchant
Enchant is a static ability, written “Enchant [object or player].” The enchant ability restricts what an Aura
spell can target and what an Aura can enchant. See rule 212.4, “Enchantment,” and rule 502.45, “Enchant.”
Enchant Opponent, Enchant Player
Auras with the “enchant opponent” or “enchant player” ability can target and be attached to players. Such
Auras can’t target objects and can’t be attached to objects. See also Aura, Enchant.
Enchantment
Enchantment is a card type. The active player may play enchantments during his or her main phase when
the stack is empty. See rule 212.4, “Enchantments.” See also Aura.
Enchantment Type
Enchantment subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Enchantment — Shrine.”
Enchantment subtypes are also called enchantment types.
The list of enchantment types, updated through the Lorwyn set, is as follows: Aura, Shrine.
End of Combat Step
The end of combat step is the fifth step of the combat phase. A player may play spells and abilities during
this step whenever he or she has priority. See rule 311, “End of Combat Step.”
End of Turn Step
This is the first step of the end phase. A player may play spells and abilities during this step whenever he or
she has priority. See rule 313, “End of Turn Step.”
End Phase
The end phase is the fifth and final phase of the turn. It has two steps: end of turn and cleanup. See rule
312, “End Phase.”
Ending the Turn
One card (Time Stop) ends the turn when its resolves. When an effect ends the turn, follow these steps in
order: Remove every object on the stack from the game. Remove all attacking and blocking creatures, if
any, from combat. Remove all planeswalkers from combat. Check state-based effects. The current step
and/or phase ends. The game skips straight to the cleanup step. See rule 509, “Ending the Turn.”
Entwine
Entwine is a static ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Entwine [cost]” means “You may
choose to use all modes of this spell instead of just one. If you do, you pay an additional [cost].” When the
spell resolves, if the entwine cost was paid, follow the text of each of the modes in the order they’re written
on the card. See rule 502.32, “Entwine.”
Epic
Epic represents both a static ability and a delayed triggered ability. “Epic” means, “For the rest of the game,
you can’t play spells,” and “At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, copy this spell except for its epic
ability. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for the copy.” See rule 502.44, “Epic.”
Equip
Equip is an activated ability. “Equip [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this Equipment to target creature you
control. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.” See rule 502.33, “Equip,” and rule 212.2,
“Artifacts.”
Equipment
Some artifacts have the subtype “Equipment.” These artifacts can be attached to (can “equip”) creatures.
They can’t equip objects that aren’t creatures. An Equipment is played and comes into play just like any
other artifact. Equipment doesn’t come into play equipping a creature. The equip keyword ability moves
the Equipment onto a creature you control. (See rule 502.33, “Equip.”) The creature an Equipment is
attached to is called “equipped.” The Equipment is attached to, or “equips,” that creature.
An Equipment that’s also a creature or an Equipment that loses the subtype “Equipment” can’t equip a
creature. An Equipment can’t equip itself. An Equipment that equips an illegal or nonexistent permanent
becomes unattached from that permanent, but remains in play. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
Evasion Ability
Evasion abilities restrict what creatures can block an attacking creature. These are static abilities that
modify the declare blockers step of the combat phase. See rule 500.3a.
Event
Anything that happens in a game is an event. Multiple events may take place during the resolution of a
spell or ability. The text of triggered abilities and replacement effects defines the event they’re looking for.
One “happening” may be treated as a single event by one ability and as multiple events by another.
Example: If an attacking creature is blocked by two defending creatures, this is one event for a
triggered ability that reads “Whenever [name] becomes blocked” but two events for a triggered
ability that reads “Whenever [name] becomes blocked by a creature.”
Evoke Evoke is a keyword ability that represents two abilities: a static ability that functions in any zone from which the card can be played and a triggered ability that functions in play. “Evoke [cost]” means “You may play this card by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost” and “When this permanent comes into play, if its evoke cost was paid, its controller sacrifices it.” Paying a card’s evoke cost follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h. See rule 502.74, “Evoke.”
Exchange
A spell or ability may instruct two players to exchange something (for example, life totals or control of two
permanents) as part of its resolution. When such a spell or ability resolves, if it can’t exchange the chosen
things, it has no effect on them.
Example: If a spell attempts to exchange control of two target creatures but one of those creatures is
destroyed before the spell resolves, the spell does nothing to the other creature. Or if a spell attempts
to exchange control of two target creatures but both of those creatures are controlled by the same
player, the spell does nothing to the two creatures.
When control of two permanents is exchanged, each player simultaneously gains control of the
permanent that was controlled by the other player.
When life totals are exchanged, each player gains or loses the amount of life necessary to equal the other
player’s previous life total. Replacement effects may modify these gains and losses, and triggered abilities
may trigger on them.
Some spells or abilities may instruct a player to exchange cards in one zone with cards in a different
zone (for example, cards removed from the game and cards in a player’s hand). These spells and abilities
work the same as other “exchange” spells and abilities, except they can exchange the cards only if all the
cards are owned by the same player.
If a card in one zone is exchanged with a card in a different zone, and either of them is attached to an
object, that card stops being attached to that object and the other card becomes attached to that object.
If a spell or ability instructs a player to simply exchange two zones, and one of the zones is empty, the
cards in the zones are still exchanged.
Expansion Symbol
The small icon normally printed below the right edge of the illustration on a Magic card is the expansion
symbol. It indicates the set in which the card was published. Cards reprinted in a core set or another
expansion receive its expansion symbol. Spells and abilities that affect cards from a particular expansion
only affect cards with that set’s expansion symbol. The first five editions of the core set had no expansion
symbol. See rule 206, “Expansion Symbol. Visit the products section of www.magicthegathering.com for
the full list of expansions and expansion symbols
(www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=magic/products/cardsets).
Players may include cards from any printing in their constructed decks if those cards appear in sets
allowed in that format (or allowed by the Magic Floor Rules). See the Magic Floor Rules for the current
definitions of the constructed formats (www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home).
Extra Turn
Some spells and abilities can give a player extra turns. They do this by adding the turns directly after the
current turn. If a player gets multiple extra turns or if multiple players get extra turns during a single turn,
the extra turns are added one at a time. The most recently created turn will be taken first. See rule 300.6.
The Grand Melee multiplayer variant has special rules to handle what happens when extra turns are
created. See rule 608, “Grand Melee Variant.”
Face Down
Face-down spells on the stack, face-down permanents in play, and face-down cards in the phased-out zone
have no characteristics other than those listed by the ability or rules that allowed the card, spell, or
permanent to be turned face down. Any listed characteristics are the copiable values of that object’s
characteristics.
At any time, you may look at a face-down spell you control on the stack, a face-down permanent you
control, or a face-down card in the phased-out zone you controlled when it phased out. You can’t look at
face-down cards in any other zone (including cards “removed from the game face down”), face-down spells
or permanents controlled by another player, or face-down cards in the phased-out zone last controlled by
another player.
The ability or rules that allowed a permanent to be turned face down may also allow the permanent’s
controller to turn it face up. Spells normally can’t be turned face up.
If you control multiple face-down spells on the stack or face-down permanents in play, you must ensure
at all times that your face-down spells and permanents can be easily differentiated from each other.
See rule 504, “Face-Down Spells and Permanents,” and rule 502.26, “Morph.”
Fading
Fading is a keyword ability that represents two abilities. “Fading N” means “This permanent comes into
play with N fade counters on it” and “At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a fade counter from this
permanent. If you can’t, sacrifice the permanent.” See rule 502.20, “Fading.”
Fateseal
To “fateseal N” means to look at the top N cards of an opponent’s library, put any number of them on the
bottom of that library in any order, and put the rest on top of that library in any order. See rule 501.9,
“Fateseal.”
Fear
Fear is an evasion ability. A creature with fear can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black
creatures. See rule 502.25, “Fear.”
First Strike
First strike is a static ability that modifies the rules for the combat damage step. At the start of the combat
damage step, if at least one attacking or blocking creature has first strike or double strike (see rule 502.28),
creatures without first strike or double strike don’t assign combat damage. Instead of proceeding to end of
combat, the phase gets a second combat damage step to handle the remaining creatures. See rule 502.2,
“First Strike.”
Fizzle (Informal)
The term “fizzle” is an informal term, used for when a spell or ability was countered as a result of all its
targets being missing or illegal when it resolved. See rule 413.2a.
Flanking
Flanking is a triggered ability that triggers during the declare blockers step of the combat phase. “Flanking”
means “Whenever this creature becomes blocked by a creature without flanking, the blocking creature gets
-1/-1 until end of turn.” See rule 502.3, “Flanking.”
Flash
Flash is a static ability that functions in any zone from which you could play the card it’s on. “Flash” means
“You may play this card any time you could play an instant.” See rule 502.57, “Flash.”
Flashback
Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one functions while the
card is in a player’s graveyard and the other functions while the card is on the stack. “Flashback [cost]”
means “You may play this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost” and
“If the flashback cost was paid, remove this card from the game instead of putting it anywhere else any
time it would leave the stack.” Playing a spell using its flashback ability follows the rules for paying
alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h. See rule 502.22, “Flashback.”
Flavor Text
This is text in italics (but not in parentheses) in the text box of a card. It provides a mood or gives
interesting background detail for the game world but has no effect on play. See rule 207.2.
Flip a Coin
To flip a coin for an object that cares whether a player wins or loses the flip, the affected player flips the
coin and calls “heads” or “tails.” If the call matches the result, that player wins the flip. Otherwise, the
player loses the flip. Only the player who flips the coin wins or loses the flip; no other players are involved.
To flip a coin for an object that cares whether the coin comes up heads or tails, each affected player flips
a coin without making a call. No player wins or loses this kind of flip.
If the coin that’s being flipped doesn’t have an obvious “heads” or “tails,” designate one side to be
“heads,” and the other side to be “tails.” Other methods of randomization may be substituted for flipping a
coin as long as there are two possible outcomes of equal likelihood and all players agree to the substitution.
Flip Cards
Flip cards have a two-part card frame on a single card. The text that appears right side up on the card
defines the card’s normal characteristics. Additional alternative characteristics appear upside down on the
card. The back of a flip card is the normal Magic: The Gathering card back. See rule 508, “Flip Cards.”
The top half of a flip card contains the card’s normal name, text box, type line, power, and toughness.
The text box usually contains an ability that causes the permanent to “flip” if certain conditions are met.
The bottom half of a flip card contains an alternative name, text box, type line, power, and toughness.
These characteristics are used only if the permanent is in play and only if the permanent is flipped.
A flip card’s color, mana cost, expansion symbol, illustration credit, and legal text don’t change if the
permanent is flipped. Also, any changes to it by external effects will still apply.
In every zone other than the in-play zone, and also in the in-play zone before the permanent flips, a flip
card has only the normal characteristics of the permanent. Once the flip permanent in the in-play zone is
flipped, the normal name, text box, type line, power, and toughness of the flip permanent don’t apply and
the alternative versions of those characteristics apply instead.
If you control a flip permanent, you must ensure that it’s clear at all times whether the permanent is
flipped or not, both when it’s untapped and when it’s tapped. Common methods for distinguishing between
flipped and unflipped permanents include using coins or dice to mark flipped objects.
Flipping a permanent is a one-way process. Once a permanent is flipped, it’s impossible for it to become
unflipped. However, if flipped permanent leaves play, it retains no memory of its status.
Floor Rules
The current DCI Magic: The Gathering Floor Rules can be found at
www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home.
Flying
Flying is an evasion ability. A creature with flying can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying and/or
reach. A creature with flying can block a creature with or without flying. See rule 502.4, “Flying.”
Forecast
Forecast is a special kind of activated ability that can be played only from a player’s hand. It’s written
“Forecast — [Activated ability].” A forecast ability may be played only during the upkeep step of the
card’s owner and only once each turn. The controller of the forecast ability reveals the card with that ability
from his or her hand as the ability is played. That player plays with that card revealed in his or her hand
until the upkeep step ends or until it leaves the player’s hand, whichever comes first.
Forest
“Forest” is one of the five basic land types. Any land with the land type Forest has the ability “{T}: Add
{G} to your mana pool.” See rule 212.6h.
Forestcycling
See Typecycling.
Forestwalk
See Landwalk.
Fortification
Some artifacts have the subtype “Fortification.” These artifacts can be attached to (can “fortify”) lands.
They can’t fortify objects that aren’t lands. A Fortification is played and comes into play just like any other
artifact. Fortification doesn’t come into play fortifying a land. The fortify keyword ability moves the
Fortification onto a land you control. (See rule 502.65, “Fortify.”) The land a Fortification is attached to is
called “fortified.” The Fortification is attached to, or “fortifies,” that land.
A Fortification that’s also a creature or a Fortification that loses the subtype “Fortification” can’t fortify
a land. A Fortification can’t fortify itself. A Fortification that fortifies an illegal or nonexistent permanent
becomes unattached from that permanent, but remains in play. (This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.)
Fortify
Fortify is an activated ability. “Fortify [cost]” means “[Cost]: Attach this Fortification to target land you
control. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.” See rule 502.65, “Fortify,” and rule
212.2, “Artifacts.”
Frenzy
Frenzy is a triggered ability. “Frenzy N” means “Whenever this creature attacks and isn’t blocked, it gets
+N/+0 until end of turn.” See rule 502.66, “Frenzy.”
Free-for-All
Free-for-All is a multiplayer variant in which a group of players complete as individuals against each other.
See rule 605, “Free-for-All Variant.”
Game Action
Several steps contain actions that don’t use the stack. These actions are game actions. The game actions are
phasing in and out at the start of the untap step (see rule 302.1), untapping at the start of the untap step (see
rule 302.2), drawing a card at the start of the draw step (see rule 304.1), declaring attackers at the start of
the declare attackers step (see rule 308.1), declaring blockers at the start of the declare blockers step (see
rule 309.1), the active player discarding down to his or her maximum hand size at the start of the cleanup
step (see rule 314.1), and removing damage from permanents and ending “until end of turn” effects during
the cleanup step (see rule 314.2). Mana burn at the end of a phase is also a game action (see rule 300.3).
General
The player seated in the middle of a team in the Emperor multiplayer variant is called the team’s emperor.
The other players are called generals. See rule 607, “Emperor Variant.”
Generic Mana Cost
A generic mana cost is represented by a number in a gray circle. Any color of mana, as well as colorless
mana, may be used to pay a generic mana cost. See rule 104.3b.
Global Enchantment (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “global enchantment.” These cards now say “non-Aura enchantment.” See
also Aura and Enchantment.
Graft
Graft represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. “Graft N” means “This permanent comes into
play with N +1/+1 counters on it” and “Whenever another creature comes into play, if this permanent has a
+1/+1 counter on it, you may move a +1/+1 counter from this permanent onto that creature.” If a creature
has multiple instances of graft, each one works separately.
Grand Melee
The Grand Melee variant is a modification of the Free-for-All variant. Grand Melee is normally used only
in games begun with ten or more players. The Grand Melee variant allows multiple players to take turns at
the same time. Moving turn markers keep track of which players are currently taking turns. Each turn
marker represents both an active player’s turn and an individual stack. See rule 608, “Grand Melee
Variant.”
The Grand Melee variant uses the following default options: (a) Each player has a range of influence of
1 (see rule 601), and (b) the attack left option is used (see rule 604). The attack multiple players and deploy
creatures options aren’t used in the Grand Melee variant.
Gravestorm
Gravestorm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. “Gravestorm” means “When you play this
spell, put a copy of it onto the stack for each permanent that was put into a graveyard from play this turn. If
the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any of the copies.” See rule 502.67,
“Gravestorm.”
Graveyard
Each player’s discard pile is his or her graveyard. Countered spells, destroyed or sacrificed permanents, and
discarded cards are put into their owner’s graveyard. Instant and sorcery spells are put into their owner’s
graveyard as the last step in resolving. See rule 217, “Zones.”
Hand
The hand is the zone where a player holds cards that haven’t been played yet. See rule 217, “Zones.”
Haste
Normally a creature can’t attack or use activated abilities with costs that include the tap symbol unless its
controller has controlled it continuously since the start of his or her most recent turn. Haste is a static ability
that allows a creature to ignore this rule. See rule 502.5, “Haste.”
Haunt
Haunt is a triggered ability. “Haunt” on a permanent means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard
from play, remove it from the game haunting target creature.” “Haunt” on an instant or sorcery spell means
“When this spell is put into a graveyard during its resolution, remove it from the game haunting target
creature.” A card with haunt typically has another ability that triggers “when the creature this card haunts is
put into a graveyard.” See rule 502.51, “Haunt.”
Hidden Information (Informal)
Some information within a Magic game isn’t known by all players. For example, face-down cards in any
zone and the contents of players’ libraries and hands are hidden information. If an effect “reveals” a card
that’s normally hidden, the card is public information as long as it remains revealed. See also Public
Information.
Hideaway Hideaway is a keyword ability that represents a static ability and a triggered ability. “Hideaway” means “This permanent comes into play tapped” and “When this permanent comes into play, look at the top four cards of your library. Remove one of them from the game face down and put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. As long as that card remains removed from the game, it may be looked at by any player who has controlled this permanent.” See rule 502.75, “Hideaway.”
Horsemanship
Horsemanship is an evasion ability. A creature with horsemanship can’t be blocked by creatures without
horsemanship. A creature with horsemanship can block a creature with or without horsemanship. See rule
502.17, “Horsemanship.”
Hybrid Mana Symbols
Each of the hybrid mana symbols represents a cost which can be paid with one of two colors: {W/U} in a
cost can be paid with either white or blue mana, {W/B} white or black, {U/B} blue or black, {U/R} blue or
red, {B/R} black or red, {B/G} black or green, {R/G} red or green, {R/W} red or white, {G/W} green or
white, and {G/U} green or blue. A hybrid mana symbol is each of its component colors.
If
See “Intervening ‘If’ Clause.”
Illegal Action
If a player realizes that he or she can’t legally take an action after starting to do so, the entire action is
reversed and any payments already made are canceled. No abilities trigger and no effects apply as a result
of an undone action. When reversing illegal spells and abilities, the player who had priority retains it and
may take another action or pass. The player may redo the reversed action in a legal way or take any other
action allowed by the rules. See rule 422, “Handling Illegal Actions.”
Illegal Target If a spell or ability specifies targets, it checks whether the targets are legal when it resolves. A target that’s
removed from play, or from the zone designated by the spell or ability, is illegal. A target may also become
illegal if its characteristics changed since the spell or ability was played or if an effect changed the text of
the spell. See rule 413.2a.
Illustration
The illustration is printed on the upper half of a card and has no game significance. See rule 204,
“Illustration.”
Illustration Credit
The illustration credit for a card is printed directly below the text box. The credit has no effect on game play. See rule 210, “Information Below the Text Box.”
Imprint
Imprint is an activated or triggered ability, written “Imprint — [text],” where “[text]” is an activated or
triggered ability. Cards that are in the removed-from-the-game zone because they were removed from the
game by an imprint ability are imprinted on the source of that ability. See rule 502.34, “Imprint.”
Imprinted [quality] card
The phrase “imprinted [quality] card” means the card with that quality that’s imprinted on the permanent. If
a permanent has more than one card with that quality imprinted on it, each of those cards is an “imprinted
[quality] card.” See rule 502.34, “Imprint.”
In Play
In play is the zone in which permanents exist. When an artifact, creature, enchantment, or planeswalker
spell resolves, it’s put into the in-play zone as a permanent. When a land is played, it’s put into the in-play
zone as a permanent. Tokens also exist in this zone. See rule 217, “Zones.”
Independent
An effect is said to “depend on” another if it is applied at the same time as the other effect, and applying the
other would change the text or the existence of the first effect, what it applies to, or what it does to any of
the things it applies to. Otherwise, the effect is considered to be independent of the first effect. See rule
418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”
Indestructible
If a permanent is indestructible, rules and effects can’t destroy it. Such permanents are not destroyed by
lethal damage, and they ignore the lethal-damage state-based effect (see rule 420.5c). Rules or effects may
cause an indestructible permanent to be sacrificed, put into a graveyard, or removed from the game.
Infinity Rule (Informal)
There’s no such thing as “infinity” in the Magic rules. Occasionally the game can get into a state where a
set of actions could be repeated forever. The “infinity rule” governs how to break such loops. See rule 421,
“Handling ‘Infinite’ Loops.”
Instant
Instant is a card type. A player may play instants whenever he or she has priority. An instant spell is put
into its owner’s graveyard as the last step of its resolution. Instant subtypes are called spell types (see Spell
Types). See rule 212.5, “Instants,” and rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”
Instead
Effects that use the word “instead” are replacement effects. Most replacement effects use the word
“instead” to indicate what events will be replaced with other events. See rule 419, “Replacement and
Prevention Effects.”
Interrupt (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the card type “interrupt.” All interrupt cards are now instant cards. All
abilities that were played as interrupts are now played like normal activated abilities (and are mana abilities
if they produce mana).
Intervening “If” Clause
Triggered abilities with a condition directly following the trigger event (for example, “When/Whenever/At
[trigger], if [condition], [effect]”) check for the condition to be true as part of the trigger event; if it isn’t,
the ability doesn’t trigger. The ability checks the condition again on resolution. If it’s not satisfied, the
ability does nothing. Note that this mirrors the check for legal targets. Note that this rule doesn’t apply to
any triggered ability with an “if” condition elsewhere within its text. See rule 404.3.
Island
“Island” is one of the five basic land types. Any land with the land type Island has the ability “{T}: Add
{U} to your mana pool.” See rule 212.6h.
Islandcycling
See Typecycling.
Islandhome (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the term islandhome, which means “This creature can’t attack unless
the defending player controls an Island” and “When you control no Islands, sacrifice this creature.” Cards
that previously had islandhome now simply have the two parts of islandhome written out without using the
keyword.
Islandwalk
See Landwalk.
Keyword Ability
Some abilities are very common or would require too much space to define on a card. These abilities list
only the name of the ability as a “keyword”; sometimes reminder text summarizes the game rule. See rule
502, “Keyword Abilities.”
Keyword Action
Most actions described in a card’s rules text use the standard English definitions of the verbs within, but
some specialized verb are used whose meanings may not be clear. These “keywords” are game terms;
sometimes reminder text summarizes their meanings. See rule 501, “Keyword Actions.”
Kicker
Kicker is a keyword ability with a cost and an effect. Paying a spell’s kicker cost causes the spell to have an
additional or alternative effect. See rule 502.21, “Kicker.”
“Kicker [cost]” means “You may pay an additional [cost] as you play this spell.” You declare whether
you intend to pay a spell’s kicker cost at the same time you would choose the spell’s mode (see rule
409.1b), and you actually pay the cost when you pay the rest of the spell’s costs (see rule 409.1f–h). Paying
a kicker cost is always optional.
A spell’s controller chooses targets (see rule 409.1d) for a kicker effect only if he or she declared the
intention to pay the kicker cost for that effect. If the spell’s controller declared that he or she wouldn’t pay a
particular kicker cost, he or she doesn’t choose the targets for the effect associated with that kicker cost.
Land
Land is a card type. Lands aren’t spells and don’t go on the stack; they are simply played from the hand.
The active player may play a land once each turn during his or her main phase when he or she has priority
and the stack is empty. If an object is both a land and another card type, it can only be played as a land. It
can’t be played as a spell. See rule 212.6, “Lands.”
Land Type
Land subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Land — Locus, Land — Urza’s
Mine,” etc. Land subtypes are also called land types. Note that “basic,” “legendary,” and “nonbasic” aren’t
land types. See rule 212.6, “Lands.” See also Basic Land Type.
The list of land types, updated through the Lorwyn set, is as follows:
Desert, Forest, Island, Lair, Locus, Mine, Mountain, Plains, Power-Plant, Swamp, Tower, Urza’s
Landwalk
“Landwalk” is a generic term; a card’s rules text will give a specific property to look for, such as
“islandwalk.”
Landwalk is an evasion ability. A creature with landwalk is unblockable as long as the defending player
controls at least one land which has the specified subtype or supertype. See rule 502.6, “Landwalk.”
Last Known Information
The last known information about an object is the information that it had just before it left the zone it was
in. Effects use last known information if a specific object they require information from isn’t in the zone
it’s expected to be in (unless the effect divides damage). See rule 413.2f.
If an effect requires information about a specific player in a multiplayer game and that player has left the
game, the effect uses the last known information about that player before he or she left the game. See rule
600.4e.
Layer
Continuous effects are applied in order, in six layers: (1) copy effects (see rule 503, “Copying Objects”);
(2) control-changing effects; (3) text-changing effects; (4) type-changing effects (which includes effects
that change an object’s card type, subtype, and/or supertype); (5) all other continuous effects, except those
that change power and/or toughness, and (6) power- and/or toughness-changing effects. Inside layer 6,
effects are applied in a series of sublayers. See rule 418.5, “Interaction of Continuous Effects.”
Leaves Play
A permanent leaves play when it moves from the in-play zone to any other zone (see rule 410.10c) or when
its owner leaves the game (see rule 600.4a).
If a token leaves play, it ceases to exist. This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.
If a permanent leaves play and later returns to play, it’s treated as an entirely new permanent with no
“memory” of anything from its former existence. (Phasing is an exception to this; see rule 502.15,
“Phasing.” Permanents that phase out also don’t trigger any comes-into-play or leaves-play abilities.)
Legal Text
Legal text (the fine print at the bottom of the card) lists the trademark and copyright information. It has no
effect on game play. See rule 210, “Information Below the Text Box.”
Legend (Obsolete)
Many creature cards were printed with the creature type “Legend.” All of these cards have been given
errata to have the legendary supertype. Legend is no longer a creature type. See Legendary.
Legendary
Legendary is a supertype that may apply to any permanent type (“Legendary Land,” “Legendary Artifact,”
and so on).
If two or more legendary permanents with the same name are in play, all are put into their owners’
graveyards. This “legend rule” is a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.
If a legendary permanent’s card types or subtypes change, this doesn’t change its supertypes. The
permanent will still be legendary.
Lethal Damage
Lethal damage is an amount of damage greater than or equal to a creature’s toughness. A creature with
lethal damage, but greater than 0 toughness, is destroyed. This is a state-based effect. See rule 420.5.
Library
The library is the zone from which a player draws cards. When a game begins, each player’s deck becomes
his or her library. See rule 217.2, “Library.”
Life, Life Total
Life total is a sort of score. Each player starts the game with 20 life. Any increase in a player’s life total is
considered to be gaining life. Any decrease in a player’s life total is considered to be losing life. A player
whose life total drops to 0 or less loses. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420.5. See also rule 215,
“Life.”
Lifelink
Lifelink is a triggered ability. “Lifelink” means “Whenever this permanent deals damage, you gain that
much life.” See rule 502.68, “Lifelink.”
LIFO (Informal)
An acronym for “Last In, First Out,” LIFO is the order in which spells and abilities resolve after going on
the stack. The last played is resolved first. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities,” and rule
413, “Resolving Spells and Abilities.”
Limited Range of Influence
Limited range of influence is an optional rule used in some multiplayer games. A player’s range of
influence is the maximum distance from that player, measured in player seats, that the player can affect.
Players within that many seats of the player are within that player’s range of influence. Objects controlled
by players within a player’s range of influence are also within that player’s range of influence. Range of
influence covers spells, abilities, effects, damage dealing, attacking, making choices, and winning the
game. See rule 601, “Limited Range of Influence Option.”
The limited range of influence option is always used in the Emperor variant (see rule 607), Grand Melee
variant (see rule 608), and it’s often used for other games involving five or more players.
Local Enchantment (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “local enchantment” for enchantments that are attached to other permanents
while they’re in play. These cards now have the Aura subtype.
Lose the Game
There are several ways to lose the game. A player can concede the game at any time; a player who
concedes loses the game immediately. If a player’s life total is 0 or less, he or she loses the game the next
time a player would receive priority (this is a state-based effect; see rule 420). If a player attempts to draw a
card from an empty library, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority (this is a
state-based effect; see rule 420). If a player has ten or more poison counters, he or she loses the game the
next time a player would receive priority. (this is a state-based effect; see rule 420). If a player would both
win and lose simultaneously, he or she loses. In a multiplayer game between teams, a team loses the game
if all players on that team have lost. See rule 102, “Winning and Losing.”
Loyalty Loyalty is a characteristic that only planeswalkers have. Each planeswalker card has a loyalty number printed in its lower right corner. This indicates its loyalty while it’s not in play, and it also indicates that the planeswalker comes into play with that many loyalty counters on it. See rule 209, “Loyalty.” Damage dealt to a planeswalker causes that many loyalty counters to be removed from it. A planeswalker with loyalty 0 is put into its owner’s graveyard. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420.
Madness
Madness is a keyword that represents two abilities. “Madness [cost]” means “If a player would discard this
card, that player discards it, but may remove it from the game instead of putting it into his or her
graveyard” and “When this card is removed from the game this way, its owner may play it by paying [cost]
rather than paying its mana cost. If that player doesn’t, he or she puts this card into his or her graveyard.”
See rule 502.24, “Madness.”
Main Game
Some cards allow players to play a Magic subgame. The “main game” is the game in which the spell or
ability that created the subgame was played. See rule 506, “Subgames.”
Main Phase
The term “main phase” comprises the first main and second main phases, also called the “precombat” and
“postcombat” main phases. Artifact, creature, enchantment, planeswalker, and sorcery spells may be played
only by the active player during his or her main phase, and only when the stack is empty. A player may also
play one land each turn during his or her main phase.
Mana
Mana is the energy used to play spells and is usually produced by lands. Mana is created by mana abilities
(and sometimes by spells), and it can be used to pay costs immediately or can stay in the player’s mana
pool. See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”
Colored mana costs, represented by colored mana symbols, can be paid only with the appropriate color
of mana. Generic mana costs can be paid with any color of, or with colorless, mana. See rule 104.3.
The spell or ability that adds mana to a mana pool may restrict how it can be used. An ability might
produce mana that can be used only to play creature spells or only to pay activation costs.
The type of mana a permanent “could produce” is the type of mana that any ability of that permanent
can generate, taking into account any applicable replacement effects. If the type of mana can’t be defined,
there’s no type of mana that that permanent could produce. The “type” of mana is its color, or lack thereof
(for colorless mana).
Mana Ability
A mana ability is either activated or triggered. A mana ability doesn’t go on the stack—it resolves
immediately. See rule 411, “Playing Mana Abilities.”
A player may play an activated mana ability whenever he or she has priority and whenever a rule or
effect asks for a mana payment. This is the only kind of ability that can be played in the middle of playing
or resolving a spell or ability. See rule 406, “Mana Abilities.”
Mana Burn
When a phase ends, any unused mana remaining in a player’s mana pool is lost. The player loses 1 life for
each mana lost this way. This is called “mana burn.” See rule 300.3.
Mana Cost
The mana cost of a card is indicated by the mana symbols printed on its upper right corner. If a card has no
mana symbols printed in its upper right corner, it has no mana cost. Land cards and face-down spells and
permanents normally have no mana cost. Tokens have no mana cost unless the effect that creates them
specifies otherwise. A copy of an object copies that object’s mana cost. See rule 203, “Mana Cost and
Color.”
Mana Pool
When an effect creates mana, that mana goes into a player’s mana pool. From there, it can be used to pay
for spells and abilities. The mana can be used immediately to pay a cost, or stored in the mana pool for use
later in the phase. The mana pool is cleared at the end of each phase. See also Mana Burn.
Mana Source (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the card type “mana source.” All mana source cards are now instant
cards. Abilities that used to read “Play this ability as a mana source” are now mana abilities.
Mana Symbol
The mana symbols are {W}, {U}, {B}, {R}, {G}, and {X}; the numerals {0}, {1}, {2}, {3}, {4}, and so
on; the hybrid symbols {W/U}, {W/B}, {U/B}, {U/R}, {B/R}, {B/G}, {R/G}, {R/W}, {G/W}, and {G/U};
and the snow symbol {S}. See rule 104.3.
Each of the colored mana symbols represents one colored mana: {W} white, {U} blue, {B} black, {R}
red, and {G} green. See rule 104.3a.
Numeral symbols (such as {1}) are generic mana costs and represent an amount of mana that can be
paid with any color of, or colorless, mana. See rule 104.3b.
The symbol {X} represents an unspecified amount of mana; when playing a spell or activated ability
with {X} in its cost, its controller decides the value of that variable. See rule 104.3c.
Numeral symbols and variable symbols can also represent colorless mana if they appear in the effect of
a spell or of a mana ability that reads “add [mana symbol] to your mana pool” or something similar. See
rule 104.3d.
The symbol {0} represents zero mana and is used as a placeholder when a spell or activated ability costs
nothing to play. A spell or ability whose cost is {0} must still be played the same way as one with a cost
greater than zero; it won’t play itself automatically. See rule 104.3e.
Each of the hybrid mana symbols represents a cost which can be paid with one of two colors: {W/U} in
a cost can be paid with either white or blue mana, {W/B} white or black, {U/B} blue or black, {U/R} blue
or red, {B/R} black or red, {B/G} black or green, {R/G} red or green, {R/W} red or white, {G/W} green or
white, and {G/U} green or blue. A hybrid mana symbol is each of its component colors. See rule 104.3f.
The symbol {S} represents a cost that can be paid with one mana produced by a snow permanent. See
rule 104.3h.
Match
A match is a series of Magic games and is important only for tournament or league play. A two-player
match usually consists of the best two of three games, or sometimes the best three of five. A multiplayer
match usually consists of only one game. For more information, consult the DCI Magic Floor Rules
(www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home).
Maximum Hand Size
Each player’s maximum hand size is normally seven cards, though effects may modify this. As the first part
of the active player’s cleanup step, if he or she has too many cards in his or her hand, that player chooses
and discards as many cards as needed to reduce his or her hand to its maximum size (but no more than
that). See rule 314, “Cleanup Step.”
Modal, Mode
A spell or ability is modal if it is written “Choose one —,” “Choose two —,” or “[a specified player]
chooses one —.” Modal spells and abilities offer a choice of effects. A modal spell or ability’s controller
must choose the mode(s) as part of playing the spell or ability or as part of putting the ability on the stack
(in the case of triggered abilities); see rule 409.1b. If a mode has targets, a player can’t choose that mode
unless all of its targets can be chosen. A modal replacement effect’s mode is chosen as it’s applied; see rule
419.6g.
Modular
Modular represents both a static ability and a triggered ability. “Modular N” means “This permanent comes
into play with N +1/+1 counters on it” and “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from play, you
may put a +1/+1 counter on target artifact creature for each +1/+1 counter on this permanent.” See rule
502.35, “Modular.”
Mono Artifact (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “mono artifact” on the card’s type line. They were artifacts that had
activated abilities that included the tap symbol. Cards that were printed with the term “mono artifact” now
simply use “artifact.”
Monocolored
A monocolored card has exactly one color. A colorless card isn’t monocolored.
Morph
Morph is a static ability that functions any time you could play the card it’s on, and the morph effect works
any time the card is face down. “Morph [cost]” means “You may play this card as a 2/2 face-down creature,
with no text, no name, no subtypes, no expansion symbol, and no mana cost by paying {3} rather than its
mana cost.” Any time you could play an instant, you may show all players the morph cost for any face-
down permanent you control, pay that cost, then turn the permanent face up. This action doesn’t use the
stack. See rule 502.26, “Morph.”
Mountain
“Mountain” is one of the five basic land types. Any land with the land type Mountain has the ability “{T}:
Add {R} to your mana pool.” See rule 212.6h.
Mountaincycling
See Typecycling.
Mountainwalk
See Landwalk.
Move
To move a counter means to take it from where it currently is and put it onto another object. If the object
the counter would move from has no counters, or either that object or any possible objects the counter
would move onto are no longer in the correct zone when the effect would move the counter, nothing
happens.
Some older cards used “move” to describe taking an Aura on one object and putting it onto another.
These cards now say “attach.”
Mulligan
A player can “mulligan” by shuffling his or her hand back into his or her library and drawing a new hand
with one fewer card before taking the first turn. Any player dissatisfied with his or her starting hand may
mulligan as often as he or she wishes, drawing one fewer card each time. See rule 101.4.
In a multiplayer game, the first time a player takes a mulligan, he or she draws a new hand of seven cards rather than six cards. Subsequent hands decrease by one card as normal. The Two-Headed Giant variant employs more extensive changes to the mulligan rule; see rule 606.6a.
Multicolored
A multicolored card has two or more colors. Most multicolored cards are printed with gold frames to
reinforce this. See rule 203.2.
A multicolored object is affected by anything that singles out any of its colors. For example, a black-
and-green creature is destroyed by a spell that reads, “Destroy all green creatures.” Something that can’t
affect a particular color doesn’t affect a multicolored object with that color, so that same creature can’t be
targeted by a spell or ability that reads, “Destroy target nonblack creature.”
Multiplayer
A multiplayer game is a game that begins with more than two players. Games that begin with only two
players aren’t multiplayer games. See section 6, “Multiplayer Rules.”
Name
The name of a card is printed on its upper left corner. See rule 202, “Name.”
Ninjutsu
Ninjutsu is an activated ability that functions only while the card with ninjutsu is in a player’s hand.
“Ninjutsu [cost]” means “[Cost], Reveal this card from your hand, Return an unblocked creature you
control to its owner’s hand: Put this card into play from your hand tapped and attacking.” See rule 502.43,
“Ninjutsu.”
Nonbasic Land
Any land that doesn’t have the supertype “basic” is nonbasic. Use the Oracle card reference to determine
whether a land has the supertype “basic.”
Number
The Magic game uses only integers. You can’t choose a fractional number, deal fractional damage, gain
fractional life, and so on. If a spell or ability could generate a fractional number, the spell or ability will tell
you whether to round up or down. See rule 104, “Numbers and Symbols.”
Most of the time, the Magic game uses only positive numbers. You can’t choose a negative number,
deal negative damage, gain negative life, and so on. However, it’s possible for a game value, such as a
creature’s power, to be less than zero. If a calculation or comparison that would determine the result of an
effect needs to use a negative value, it does so. If such a calculation yields a negative number, zero is used
instead, unless that effect sets a creature’s power or toughness, changes a creature’s power or toughness, or
sets a player’s life total.
Example: If a 3/4 creature gets -5/-0, it’s a -2/4 creature. It deals no damage in combat. Its total
power and toughness is 2. You’d have to give it +3/+0 to raise its power to 1.
Object
An “object” is a card, a copy of a card, a token, a spell, a permanent, an ability on the stack, or combat
damage on the stack. The term “object” is used in these rules when a rule applies to cards, copies of cards,
tokens, spells, permanents, abilities on the stack, and combat damage on the stack. See rule 200.8.
Obsolete
Terms marked “(Obsolete)” in this glossary were used only on older cards. Updated wordings for all cards
that used these terms are available in the Oracle card reference.
Offering
Offering is a static ability of a card that functions in any zone from which the card can be played. “[Text]
offering” means “You may play this card any time you could play an instant by sacrificing a [text]
permanent. If you do, the total cost to play this card is reduced by the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost.”
Generic mana in the sacrificed permanent’s mana cost reduces only the generic mana in the offering card’s
total cost. See rule 502.42, “Offering.”
One-Shot Effect
One-shot effects do something only once and then end. See rule 417, “One-Shot Effects.” See also
Continuous Effects.
Opening Hand Before a game begins, but after a player has taken any mulligans, the hand of cards he or she chooses to
keep is that player’s opening hand. A player can’t take any mulligans once he or she has decided to keep an
opening hand.
Opponent
In a two-player game, a player’s opponent is the other player. In multiplayer games, a player has multiple
opponents. See section 6, “Multiplayer Rules.”
Oracle
Use the Oracle card reference when determining a card’s wording. A card’s Oracle text can be found using
the Gatherer card database at http://gatherer.wizards.com. See rule 200.2.
Order
The order of objects in a library, in a graveyard, or on the stack can’t be changed except when effects allow
it. Objects in other zones can be arranged however their owners wish, although who controls those objects,
whether they’re tapped, and what enchants or equips them must remain clear to all players. See rule 217.1b.
Outside the Game
An object is “outside the game” if it’s in the removed-from-the-game zone, or if it isn’t in any of the
game’s zones. All other objects are inside the game. “Outside the game” is not a zone. See rule 217.1e.
Owner
The owner of a card is the player who started the game with that card in his or her deck or, for cards that
didn’t start the game in a player’s deck, the player who brought the card into the game. (Legal ownership is
irrelevant to the game rules, except for the rules for ante.) See rule 200.1a. The owner of a token, or of a
copy of a spell, is the controller of the effect that created it.
An effect can change a permanent’s controller but never its owner. (A few cards have the text “Remove
[this card] from your deck before playing if you’re not playing for ante.” These are the only cards that can
change a card’s owner. See rule 217.9, “Ante.”)
A card is always put into its owner’s library, hand, or graveyard, regardless of who controlled the card
in its previous zone. See rule 217.1a.
Pass
To pass is to decline to take any action (usually playing a spell or ability) when you have priority. When a
player passes, his or her opponent receives priority. See rule 408.1, “Timing, Priority, and the Stack.”
Pass in Succession
To pass in succession means that all players pass without playing any spells, playing any abilities, or
performing any special actions in between. If all players pass in succession, the spell, ability, or combat
damage on top of the stack resolves. If the stack is empty, the phase or step ends. See rule 408.1, “Timing,
Priority, and the Stack.”
Pay
Playing most spells and activated abilities requires paying costs; see rule 409, “Playing Spells and
Activated Abilities.” Declaring attackers (see rule 308, “Declare Attackers Step”) and declaring blockers
(see rule 309, “Declare Blockers Step”) can also require paying costs.
Paying mana is done by removing the indicated amount of mana from the player’s mana pool. Any time
a player is asked to pay mana, mana abilities may be played. Mana abilities must be played before the costs
are paid. Paying life subtracts the indicated amount of life from the player’s life total. A player can’t pay
more mana than the amount of mana in his or her mana pool or more life than his or her life total. Zero life
or zero mana can always be paid, even if the player has less than zero life. Unpayable costs can’t be paid.
To pay any cost, the player carries out the instructions specified by the spell, ability, or effect. It’s illegal
to attempt paying a cost when unable to successfully follow the instructions. For example, a player can’t
pay a cost that requires tapping a creature if that creature is already tapped.
Each payment applies to only one spell or ability. For example, a player can’t sacrifice just one creature
to play the activated abilities of two permanents that require sacrificing a creature as a cost. Also, the
resolution of a spell or ability doesn’t pay another spell or ability’s cost, even if part of its effect is doing
the same thing the other cost asks for.
Permanent
A permanent is any card or token in the in-play zone. See rule 214, “Permanents.”
Permanent Card A permanent card is a card that isn’t in play but could be put into play. Specifically, it means an artifact,
creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card.
Permanently (Obsolete)
Certain older cards were printed with the term “permanently” to indicate effects with no expiration. This
term is no longer used.
Example: An ability that originally read “Gain control of target creature permanently” would now
read as follows: “Gain control of target creature.” This effect grants control of the permanent until
something else changes the controller or it leaves play. It doesn’t make the permanent immune to
other control effects.
Phase
Each turn is divided into five phases: beginning, precombat main, combat, postcombat main, and end. See
section 3, “Turn Structure.”
Phased Out
The phased-out zone is a special zone for permanents with phasing that are temporarily out of play. See
rule 217.8, “Phased Out,” and rule 502.15, “Phasing.”
Phasing
Phasing is a static ability that causes a permanent to leave play and later return, without losing its
“memory.” See rule 502.15, “Phasing.”
Pile
If a player is asked to separate a group of objects into two or more piles, the objects do not leave the zone
they’re currently in. If cards in a graveyard are split into piles, the order of the graveyard must be
maintained. A pile can contain zero or more objects.
Plains
“Plains” is one of the five basic land types. Any land with the land type Plains has the ability “{T}: Add
{W} to your mana pool.” See rule 212.6h.
Plainscycling
See Typecycling.
Plainswalk
See Landwalk.
Planeswalker Planeswalker is a card type. The active player may play planeswalkers during his or her main phase when
the stack is empty. When a planeswalker spell resolves, its controller puts it into play under his or her
control. See rule 212.9, “Planeswalkers.”
Planeswalker Type Planeswalker subtypes are always a single word and are listed after a long dash: “Planeswalker — Jace.”
Planeswalker subtypes are also called planeswalker types.
The list of planeswalker types, updated through the Lorwyn set, is as follows: Ajani, Chandra, Garruk,
Jace, Liliana.
Play
The act of playing a spell, land, or ability involves announcing the action and taking the necessary steps to
complete it.
Playing a spell or activated ability requires paying any costs and choosing any required modes and/or
targets. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”
Playing a land simply requires choosing a land card from the hand and putting it into play. See rule
212.6, “Lands.”
Playing a mana ability requires paying any costs, then immediately resolving the ability. See rule 411,
“Playing Mana Abilities.”
Triggered abilities and static abilities aren’t played—they happen automatically. See rule 410,
“Handling Triggered Abilities,” and rule 412, “Handling Static Abilities.”
Play/Draw (Informal)
Whoever plays first in a two-player game skips his or her first draw step. This is referred to as the
play/draw rule. See rule 101, “Starting the Game.”
In a Two-Headed Giant multiplayer game, the team that goes first skips its first draw step (see rule 606,
“Two-Headed Giant Variant”). Other multiplayer variants don’t use the play/draw rule.
Player
A player is one of the people in the game. The active player is the player whose turn it is. The other players
are nonactive players. See rule 200.3.
Poison Counter
Some cards, including those with the poisonous ability, give poison counters to players. If a player has ten
or more poison counters, he or she loses the game the next time a player would receive priority. See rule
420, “State-Based Effects.”
Poisonous
Poisonous is a triggered ability. “Poisonous N” means “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a
player, that player gets N poison counters.” See rule 502.69, “Poisonous.”
Poly Artifact (Obsolete)
Some older cards used the term “poly artifact” on the card’s type line. They were artifacts that had
activated abilities that don’t include the tap symbol. Cards that were printed with the term “poly artifact”
now simply use “artifact.”
Postcombat
The second main phase in each turn is called the postcombat main phase. If an effect causes a turn to have
an extra combat phase and another main phase, the additional one is also a postcombat main phase. See rule
305, “Main Phase.”
Power
Power is a characteristic that only creatures have. The number before the slash printed on the lower right
corner of a creature card is its power. See rule 208, “Power/Toughness.”
Creatures that attack or block assign combat damage equal to their power. See rule 310, “Combat
Damage Step.”
Some creature cards have power represented by * instead of a number. The object has a characteristic-
defining ability that sets its power according to some stated condition. This ability functions in all zones.
A noncreature permanent has no power, even if it’s a card with a power printed on it (such as a Licid
that’s become an Aura).
Precombat
The first main phase in each turn is called the precombat main phase. See rule 305, “Main Phase.”
Prevention Effect
Effects that prevent something from happening replace it with “do nothing.” (See rule 419, “Replacement
and Prevention Effects.”) A prevention effect must be active before the event it’s intended to prevent.
Effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability that prevent a specific amount of damage act as
“shields” and stay active until that amount of damage has been prevented or the turn ends. The damage
doesn’t have to be dealt by a single source or all at once.
Effects generated by static abilities that prevent a specific amount of damage prevent only the indicated
amount of damage from any applicable source at any given time.
Effects that prevent the next damage from a specific source apply the next time that source would deal
damage, regardless of the amount. These effects expire when the turn ends. See rule 419.8, “Sources of
Damage.”
Priority
The player who has the option to play a spell or ability at any given time has priority. See rule 408,
“Timing of Spells and Abilities.”
Each time a spell, an ability (other than a mana ability), or combat damage resolves, and at the
beginning of most phases and steps, the active player receives priority. If a player has priority when he or
she plays a spell, ability, or land, or takes a special action, he or she receives priority afterward. When a
player passes in a two-player game, his or her opponent receives priority.
If all players pass in succession, the spell, ability, or combat damage on top of the stack resolves or, if
the stack is empty, the phase or step ends.
Each time a player would get priority, all applicable state-based effects resolve first as a single event
(see rule 420). Then, if any new state-based effects have been generated, they resolve as a single event.
This process repeats until no more applicable state-based effects are generated. Then triggered abilities are
added to the stack (see rule 410). These steps repeat in order until no further state-based effects or triggered
abilities are generated.
In the Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant, teams rather than individual players have priority. See
rule 606, “Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
Protection
Protection is a static ability, written “Protection from [quality].” See rule 502.7, “Protection.”
A permanent or player with protection can’t be targeted by spells with the stated quality and can’t be
targeted by abilities from a source with the stated quality.
A permanent or player with protection can’t be enchanted by Auras that have the stated quality. Such
Auras attached to the permanent or player with protection will be put into their owners’ graveyards as a
state-based effect. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)
A permanent with protection can’t be equipped by Equipment that has the stated quality or fortified by
Fortifications that have the stated quality. Such Equipment or Fortifications become unattached from that
permanent, but remain in play. (See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”)
Any damage that would be dealt to a permanent or player with protection from sources having that
quality is prevented.
Attacking creatures with protection can’t be blocked by creatures that have the stated quality.
Provoke
Provoke is a triggered ability. “Provoke” means “Whenever this creature attacks, you may choose to have
target creature defending player controls block this creature this combat if able. If you do, untap that
creature.” See rule 502.29, “Provoke.”
Public Information (Informal)
Some information within a Magic game is known by all players. For example, permanents in play, spells
and abilities on the stack, and cards in graveyards are all public information. The number of cards in
players’ libraries and hands is also public information, even though contents of those libraries and hands
are hidden information. See also Hidden Information.
Put into Play
If an effect instructs a player to put an object into play, that object is not considered “played.”
Rampage
Rampage is a triggered ability. “Rampage N” means “When this creature becomes blocked, it gets +N/+N
until end of turn for each creature blocking it beyond the first.” See rule 502.12, “Rampage.”
Random
If a spell, ability, or effect requires a player to choose something at random, that player can use any method
of making a random choice (rolling dice, flipping a coin, and so on). The outcome must be truly random.
Reach
Reach is a static ability. A creature with reach can block an attacking creature with flying. See rule 309,
“Declare Blockers Step,” rule 502.4, “Flying,” and rule 502.70, “Reach.”
Range of Influence
See Limited Range of Influence. Recover
Recover is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with recover is in a player’s graveyard.
“Recover [cost]” means “When a creature is put into your graveyard from play, you may pay [cost]. If you
do, return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Otherwise, remove this card from the game.” See
rule 502.55, “Recover.”
Redirect (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the term “redirect” to describe the act of dealing damage to a different
player or creature than originally specified by a spell, ability, or combat-damage assignment, without
changing the source or kind of damage. In general, cards that were printed with the term “redirect” now
create replacement effects that modify where the damage will be dealt. “Redirect” is still used informally to
describe what these replacement effects do. See rule 419.6c.
Regenerate
Regeneration is a destruction-replacement effect. “Regenerate [permanent]” means “The next time
[permanent] would be destroyed this turn, instead remove all damage from it, tap it, and (if it’s in combat)
remove it from combat.” Because it’s a replacement effect, it must be active before the attempted
destruction event. Abilities that trigger from damage being dealt still trigger even if the permanent
regenerates. See rule 419.6b.
Reminder Text
Reminder text appears after a keyword ability printed on a card and on cards that might otherwise be
commonly misunderstood. Reminder text is text that is italicized and in parentheses in the text box of a
card. This text provides a summary of the game rule or clarifies what the card does, but it isn’t itself
considered rules text. See rule 207.2.
Removed from Combat
A creature or planeswalker is removed from combat if it leaves play (such as by being destroyed or removed from the game); if its controller changes; if it stops being a creature or planeswalker, respectively; or if an effect removes it from combat. A creature is also removed from combat if it regenerates (see rule 419.6b). A creature that’s removed from combat stops being an attacking, blocking, blocked, and/or unblocked creature. A planeswalker that’s removed from combat stops being attacked. A permanent that’s
removed from combat can’t assign combat damage or have combat damage assigned to it. However, if
combat damage assigned to or by that permanent is already on the stack, it will resolve normally. See rule
306.4 and rule 310.4a.
Removed from the Game
A card removed from the game is put into the removed-from-the-game zone. The effect that removed the
card may specify a way for it to return. Some objects use the expression “set aside” for situations in which
a card removed from the game can return to another zone. See rule 217.7, “Removed from the Game.”
Replacement Effect
A replacement effect is a kind of continuous effect that “watches” for a specified event and replaces it with
a different one. See rule 419, “Replacement and Prevention Effects.”
Replicate
Replicate is a keyword that represents two abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the spell
is on the stack. The second is a triggered ability that functions while the spell is on the stack. “Replicate
[cost]” means “As an additional cost to play this spell, you may pay [cost] any number of times” and
“When you play this spell, if a replicate cost was paid for it, copy it for each time its replicate cost was
paid. If the spell has any targets, you may choose new targets for any number of the copies.” See rule
502.52, “Replicate.”
Requirement
A requirement to attack or block is any effect that forces one or more creatures to attack or block. All
attacks and blocks must still be legal. See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”
Resolve
When a spell or ability on top of the stack resolves, its controller carries out the instructions printed on the
card, in the order written. When combat damage resolves, it’s dealt as previously assigned to the fullest
extent possible. See rule 413, “Resolving Spells and Abilities.”
Respond, Response (Informal)
A player can choose to play an instant spell or activated ability when something else is already on the stack,
rather than waiting for the earlier spell or ability to resolve first. The spell or ability is said to be played “in
response to” the earlier spell or ability. See rule 408, “Timing of Spells and Abilities.”
Restriction
A restriction on attacking or blocking is any effect that could prevent a creature from attacking or blocking.
All attacks and blocks must still be legal. See rule 500, “Legal Attacks and Blocks.”
Reveal
To reveal an object is to show that object to all players. If a one-shot effect reveals a card, the card is
returned to its former state after all players have seen it. If the cost to play a spell or ability includes
revealing a card, the card remains revealed from the time the spell or ability is announced until it leaves the
stack.
Ripple
Ripple is a triggered ability that functions only while the card with ripple is on the stack. “Ripple N” means
“When you play this spell, you may reveal the top N cards of your library, or, if there are fewer than N
cards in your library, you may reveal all the cards in your library. If you reveal cards from your library this
way, you may play any of those cards with the same name as this spell without paying their mana costs,
then put all revealed cards not played this way on the bottom of your library in any order.” See rule 502.56,
“Ripple.”
Rules Text
An object’s rules text defines many of that object’s properties. Changing an object’s rules text changes the
object’s properties.
Sacrifice
To sacrifice a permanent, its controller moves it from the in-play zone directly to its owner’s graveyard. A
player can’t sacrifice something that isn’t a permanent, or something that’s a permanent he or she doesn’t
control. If an effect instructs a player to sacrifice a permanent that he or she doesn’t control, nothing
happens. Sacrificing a permanent doesn’t destroy it, so regeneration or other effects that replace destruction
can’t affect it.
Scry
To “scry N” means to look at the top N cards of your library, put any number of them on the bottom of
your library in any order, and put the rest on top of your library in any order. See rule 501.8, “Scry.”
Sealed Deck
For sealed deck or draft play, only forty cards are required in a deck, and a player may use as many
duplicates of a card as he or she has. Each player still needs small items to represent any tokens and
counters, and some way to clearly track life totals. See rule 100.3.
Search
If you’re required to search a zone not revealed to all players for cards of a given quality, such as card type
or color, you aren’t required to find some or all of those cards even if they’re present; however, if you do
choose to find cards, you must reveal those cards to all players. Even if you don’t find any cards, you are
still considered to have searched the zone.
If you’re simply searching for a quantity of cards, such as “a card” or “three cards,” you must find that
many cards (or as many as possible). These cards often aren’t revealed.
Example: If an effect causes you to search a player’s library for all duplicates of a particular card
and remove them from the game, you may choose to leave some of them alone, but if an effect causes
you to search your library for three cards and it contains at least three, you can’t choose less than
three.
Set Aside
To set aside a card is to remove it from the game; however, the effect will specify some condition that
allows the set-aside card to return to the game. See also Removed from the Game.
Shadow
Shadow is an evasion ability. Attacking creatures with shadow can’t be blocked by creatures without
shadow, and attacking creatures without shadow can’t be blocked by creatures with shadow. See rule 502.8,
“Shadow.”
Shared Life Total
The Two-Headed Giant multiplayer variant uses a shared life total. Each two-player team’s life total starts
at 30, and the team loses if its life total reaches 0. Damage, loss of life, and gaining life happens to each
player individually. The result is applied to the team’s shared life total. If an effect needs to know the value
of any individual player’s life total, that effect uses the team’s life total divided by the number of players on
the team (rounded up) instead. See rule 606, “Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
Shield
Replacement and prevention effects act like “shields” around whatever they’re affecting. See rule 419,
“Replacement and Prevention Effects.”
Shroud
Shroud is a static ability. “Shroud” means “This permanent or player can’t be the target of spells or
abilities.” See rule 502.36, “Shroud.”
Shuffle
To shuffle a deck, library, or pile is to make the order of that deck, library, or pile random. After a player
shuffles a deck, library, or pile he or she owns, each opponent has the option to shuffle or cut that pile. See
rule 101.1.
Skip
To skip an event, step, phase, or turn is to proceed past it as though it didn’t exist. Skipping an event, step,
phase, or turn is a replacement effect. “Skip [something]” is the same as “Instead of doing [something], do
nothing.” See rule 300.9 and rule 419.6e.
Once a step, phase, or turn has started, it can no longer be skipped—any skip effects will wait until the
next occurrence.
Anything scheduled for a skipped step, phase, or turn won’t happen. Anything scheduled for the “next”
occurrence of something waits for the first occurrence that isn’t skipped. If two effects each cause a player
to skip his or her next occurrence, that player must skip the next two; one effect will be satisfied in skipping
the first occurrence, while the other will remain until another occurrence can be skipped. See rule 419.6f.
Slivercycling See Typecycling.
Snow
Snow is a supertype. When a card refers to a “snow permanent,” it means a permanent with the snow
supertype. When a card refers to a “snow Forest,” it means a Forest with the snow supertype, and so on.
Some older cards were printed with the term “snow-covered” in their rules text. Except for card names, all
instances of “snow-covered” are now “snow.” See rule 205.4e.
Snow Landwalk
Snow landwalk is a special form of landwalk. A creature with snow landwalk is unblockable as long as the
defending player controls at least one snow land of the specified subtype. See rule 502.6, “Landwalk,” and
rule 205.4e.
Snow Mana
The snow mana symbol {S} represents a cost that can be paid with one mana produced by a snow
permanent. This is a generic mana cost that can be paid with any color or, or colorless, mana. Effects that
reduce the amount of generic mana you pay don’t affect {S} costs.
Snow-Covered (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the term “snow-covered” in their rules text. Except for card names, all
instances of “snow-covered” are now “snow.”
Sorcery
Sorcery is a card type. The active player may play sorceries during his or her main phase when the stack is
empty. A sorcery spell is put into its owner’s graveyard as part of its resolution. Sorcery subtypes are called
spell types (see Spell Types). See rule 212.7, “Sorceries.”
Soulshift
Soulshift is a triggered ability. “Soulshift N” means “When this permanent is put into a graveyard from
play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost N or less from your graveyard to your
hand.”
Source of an Ability
The source of an ability is the object that generated it. See rule 402, “Abilities,” and rule 200.7.
Source of Damage
The source of damage is the object that dealt it. If an effect requires a player to choose a source of damage,
he or she may choose a permanent, a spell on the stack (including one that creates a permanent), or any
object referred to by an object on the stack (including a creature that assigned combat damage on the stack,
even if the creature is no longer in play or is no longer a creature). A source doesn’t need to be capable of
dealing damage to be a legal choice. See rule 419.8, “Sources of Damage.”
Special Action
Special actions don’t use the stack. The special actions are playing a land, turning a face-down creature
face up, ending continuous effects or stopping delayed triggered abilities, ignoring continuous effects, and
removing a card with suspend in your hand from the game. See rule 408.1i and rule 408.2, “Actions That
Don’t Use the Stack.”
Spell
A nonland card becomes a spell when it’s put on the stack and remains a spell until it’s countered, it
resolves, or it otherwise leaves the stack. A copy of a spell is also a spell, even if it has no card associated
with it. See rule 213, “Spells,” and rule 401, “Spells on the Stack.”
Spell Type
Instants and sorceries share the same set of subtypes. These subtypes are always a single word and are
listed after a long dash: “Instant — Arcane.” These subtypes are also called spell types.
The list of spell types, updated through the Lorwyn set, is as follows: Arcane.
Splice
Splice is a static ability that functions while a card is in your hand. “Splice onto [subtype] [cost]” means
“You may reveal this card from your hand as you play a [subtype] spell. If you do, copy this card’s text box
onto that spell and pay [cost] as an additional cost to play that spell.” Paying a card’s splice cost follows the
rules for paying additional costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h.
You can’t choose to use a splice ability if you can’t make the required choices (targets, etc.) for that
card’s instructions. You can’t splice any one card onto the same spell more than once. If you’re splicing
more than one card onto a spell, reveal them all at once and choose the order in which their instructions will
be followed. The instructions on the main spell have to be followed first.
The spell has the characteristics of the main spell, plus the text boxes of each of the spliced cards. The
spell doesn’t gain any other characteristics (name, mana cost, color, supertypes, card types, subtypes, etc.)
of the spliced cards. Text copied onto the spell that refers to a card by name refers to the spell on the stack,
not the card from which the text was copied.
Choose targets for the added text normally (see rule 409.1c). Note that a spell with one or more targets
will be countered if all of its targets are illegal on resolution.
The spell loses any splice changes once it leaves the stack (for example, when it’s countered, it’s
removed from the game, or it resolves).
Split Cards
Split cards have two card faces on a single card. The back of a split card is the normal, full-size Magic card
back. Split cards have two sets of characteristics (two names, two mana costs, and so on) and two converted
mana costs. They always have both sets, except when they’re spells on the stack. When you play a split
card, you announce which side you’re playing. While it’s on the stack, the other side is ignored completely.
See rule 505, “Split Cards.”
If a split card’s two mana costs have different colors of mana in them, it’s a multicolored card while it’s
not on the stack. A split card is a multicolored card on the stack only if the half that’s been played is
multicolored.
If an effect tells you to name a card, you must name all of a split card’s names.
An effect that asks for a split card’s characteristic while it’s in a zone other than the stack gets both
answers.
An effect that performs a positive comparison or a relative comparison involving characteristics of one
or more split cards in any zone other than the stack gets only one answer. This answer is “yes” if either side
of those split cards would return a “yes” answer if compared individually.
An effect that performs a negative comparison involving characteristics of one or more split cards in any
zone other than the stack also gets only one answer. This answer is “yes” if performing the comparable
positive comparison would return a “no” answer.
Split Second
Split second is a static ability that functions only while the spell with split second is on the stack. “Split
second” means “As long as this spell is on the stack, players can’t play other spells or abilities that aren’t
mana abilities.” See rule 502.58, “Split Second.”
Stack
A spell or ability goes on top of the stack when it’s played or put onto the stack. Combat-damage
assignments also go on top of the stack as though they were a single object. Whenever all players pass in
succession, the spell, ability, or combat damage on top of the stack resolves and the active player receives
priority again. See rule 217.6, “Stack,” and rule 408.1, “Timing, Priority, and the Stack.”
State-Based Effects
State-based effects continually “watch” the game for a particular state. Whenever a player would receive
priority, state-based effects are checked and applied. See rule 420, “State-Based Effects.”
State Triggers
State triggers are triggered abilities that watch for a game state rather than an event and trigger as soon as
the game state matches the condition. Once a state trigger has triggered, it won’t trigger again until the
ability it created has resolved, has been countered, or has otherwise left the stack. See rule 410.11.
Static Ability
Static abilities do something all the time rather than being played at specific times. Static abilities create
continuous effects, which are active as long as the permanent with the ability remains in play and has the
ability, or as long as the object with the ability remains in the appropriate zone. See rule 412, “Handling
Static Abilities.”
Status
A permanent’s status is its physical state. There are three status categories, each of which has two possible
values: tapped/untapped, flipped/unflipped, and face up/face down. Each permanent always has one of
these values for each of these categories.
Status is not a characteristic, though it may affect a permanent’s characteristics.
Permanents come into play untapped, unflipped, and face up unless a spell or ability says otherwise.
Step
Some phases of the turn are further subdivided into steps. See section 3, “Turn Structure.”
Storm
Storm is a triggered ability that functions on the stack. “Storm” means “When you play this spell, put a
copy of it onto the stack for each other spell that was played before it this turn. If the spell has any targets,
you may choose new targets for any of the copies.” See rule 502.30, “Storm.”
Subgame
Some cards allow players to play a Magic subgame. A “subgame” is the game created by the card’s effect.
See rule 506, “Subgames.”
Substance
Substance is a static ability with no effect. Certain older cards have received errata that give them substance
for a brief period of time.
Subtype
A card can have one or more subtypes printed on its type line. Subtypes are always single words and are
listed after a long dash. Each word after the dash is a separate subtype.
Artifacts, enchantments, lands, and planeswalkers each have their own unique set of possible subtypes.
Instants and sorceries share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called spell types. Creatures and
tribals also share their lists of subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. Objects may have multiple
subtypes.
If a card with multiple types has one or more subtypes, each subtype is correlated to its appropriate type.
See rule 205.3, “Subtypes,” and rule 212, “Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype.”
Successfully Cast (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the term “successfully cast.” In general, any ability that’s written as
triggering when a spell is “successfully cast” should be read as triggering when the spell is played.
Summon (Obsolete)
Older creature cards were printed with “Summon [creature type]” on their type lines. All “Summon
[creature type]” cards should be read as “Creature — [creature type].” Many of these cards’ creature types
have also been updated; use the Oracle card reference to determine their current creature types.
Summoning Sickness (Informal)
The term “summoning sickness” is an informal term which describes a creature’s inability to attack or to
use activated abilities that include the tap symbol when it has come under a player’s control since the
beginning of that player’s most recent turn. See rule 212.3f. See also Haste.
Sunburst
Sunburst is a static ability that functions as an object is coming into play from the stack. “Sunburst” means
“If this object is coming into play from the stack as a creature, it comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it
for each color of mana used to pay its cost. If this object is coming into play from the stack and isn’t
coming into play as a creature, it comes into play with a charge counter on it for each color of mana used to
pay its cost.” See rule 502.37, “Sunburst.”
Supertype
A card can have one or more “supertypes.” These are printed directly before its card types. If an object’s
card types or subtypes change, any supertypes it has are kept, although they may not be relevant to the new
card type. See rule 205.4, “Supertypes.”
An object’s supertype is independent of its card type and subtype. Changing an object’s card type or
subtype won’t change its supertype. Changing an object’s supertype won’t change its card type or subtype.
When an object gains or loses a supertype, it retains any other supertypes it had. See rule 212. “Card Type,
Supertype, and Subtype.”
The list of supertypes, updated through the Lorwyn set, is as follows: basic, legendary, snow, and world.
Suspend
Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that functions while the card
with suspend is in a player’s hand. The second and third are triggered abilities that function in the removed-
from-the-game zone. “Suspend N—[cost]” means “If you could play this card from your hand, you may
pay [cost] and remove it from the game with N time counters on it. This action doesn’t use the stack,” and
“At the beginning of your upkeep, if this card is suspended, remove a time counter from it,” and “When the
last time counter is removed from this card, if it’s removed from the game, play it without paying its mana
cost if able. If you can’t, it remains removed from the game. If you play a creature spell this way, it gains
haste until you lose control of the spell or the permanent it becomes.” Playing a spell as an effect of its
suspend ability follows the rules for paying alternative costs in rules 409.1b and 409.1f–h. See rule 502.59,
“Suspend.”
Suspended
A card is “suspended” if it’s in the removed-from-the-game zone, has suspend, and has a time counter on it.
Swamp
“Swamp” is one of the five basic land types. Any land with the land type Swamp has the ability “{T}: Add
{B} to your mana pool.” See rule 212.6h.
Swampcycling
See Typecycling.
Swampwalk
See Landwalk.
Tap
To tap a permanent is to turn it sideways. The tap symbol ({T} in these rules) in an activation cost means
“Tap this permanent”—a permanent that’s already tapped can’t be tapped again to pay the cost. Creatures
that haven’t been under a player’s control continuously since the beginning of his or her most recent turn
can’t use any ability of theirs with the tap symbol in the cost. See rule 104.4.
Tapped
A permanent that’s turned sideways is tapped. Tapping permanents shows that they’ve been used.
Permanents untap during their controllers’ untap steps. See also Status, Tap, Untap, and Untapped.
Target
Whenever the phrase “target [something],” where [something] is a phrase that describes an object, player,
or zone, appears in a spell or ability, the controller of the spell or ability chooses something that matches
whatever follows that word. The choice of a spell or ability’s targets is made when the spell or ability is
played. See rule 415, “Targeted Spells and Abilities.”
An instant or sorcery is targeted if the text that will be followed when it resolves uses the phrase “target
[something],” where the “something” is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone. (If an activated or
triggered ability of an instant or sorcery uses the word target, that ability is targeted, but the spell is not.)
An activated or triggered ability is targeted if it uses the phrase “target [something],” where the
“something” is a phrase that describes an object, player, or zone.
Aura spells are targeted, and their target is specified by their “enchant” abilities. They target the object
or player they will enchant. (See rule 415.3.) An Aura permanent doesn’t target anything.
Neither Equipment spells nor Equipment permanents are targeted. The same is true for Fortification
spells and Fortification permanents. (See rule 415.3.) An Equipment or a Fortification may have abilities
which are targeted.
A spell or ability on the stack can’t target itself.
A spell that targets the same object, player, or zone more than once isn’t a “spell with a single target.”
Team
In a multiplayer game between teams, players win or lose as a group rather than as individuals. The Two-
Headed Giant (see rule 606), Emperor (see rule 607), and Teams multiplayer variants (see rule 609) all use
teams.
Teammate
In a multiplayer game between teams, a player’s teammates are the other players on his or her team, and the
player’s opponents are all players not on his or her team.
Teams
The Teams multiplayer variant involves two or more teams of equal size. Players are seated so that no one
is next to a teammate and each team is equally spaced out. A player can’t attack opponents who aren’t
seated next to him or her.
The Teams variant uses the following default options: (a) The recommended range of influence is 2 (see
rule 601) and (b) exactly one of the attack left, attack right, and attack multiple players options must be
used (see rules 604 and 602). The deploy creatures option isn’t normally used in the Teams variant. See
rule 609, “Teams Variant.”
Text Box
The text box is printed below the illustration on a Magic card and contains rules text that defines the card’s
abilities, reminder text, and flavor text. See rule 207, “Text Box.”
Text-Changing Effect
An effect that changes the text of an object changes only words that are used in the correct way (for
example, a Magic color word being used as a color word, a land type word used as a land type, or a
creature type word used as a creature type). The effect can’t change a proper noun, such as a card name,
even if that proper noun contains a word or a series of letters that is the same as a Magic color word, basic
land type, or creature type. See rule 418.6, “Text-Changing Effects.”
Threshold
Threshold used to be a keyword ability. It is now an ability word and has no rules meaning. All cards
printed with the threshold keyword have received errata. Updated wordings are available in the Oracle card
reference.
Tie
If an effect could result in a tie, the text of the spell or ability that created the effect will specify what to do
in the event of a tie. The Magic game has no default for ties.
Timestamp Order
An object’s timestamp is the time it entered the zone it’s currently in, with three exceptions: (1) If two or
more objects enter a zone simultaneously, the active player determines their timestamp order at the time
they enter that zone. (2) Whenever an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification becomes attached to an object or
player, the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification receives a new timestamp. (3) Permanents that phase in keep
the same timestamps they had when they phased out. See rule 418.5e. See also Depend On.
Continuous effects generated by static abilities have the same timestamp as the object that generated
them. Continuous effects generated by the resolution of a spell or ability receive a timestamp at the time
they’re created.
Token
A token is a marker used to represent any permanent that isn’t represented by a card. Tokens are created by
effects. Tokens can be tapped and untapped just like cards, though an alternative to rotation might be
needed to distinguish their status. See rule 216, “Tokens.”
Tombstone Icon
A tombstone icon appears to the left of the name of many Odyssey block cards with abilities that are
relevant in a player’s graveyard. The purpose of the icon is to make those cards stand out when they’re in a
graveyard. This icon has no effect on game play. See rule 104.5.
Total Casting Cost (Obsolete)
Some older cards were printed with the term “total casting cost” to describe the converted mana cost of a
spell. In general, cards that were printed with the term “total casting cost” now use the term “converted
mana cost.”
Total Cost
The total cost of a spell or activated ability is the mana cost, activation cost, or alternative cost, plus all cost
increases and minus all cost reductions. See rule 409.1f
Toughness
Toughness is a characteristic that only creatures have. The number after the slash printed on the lower right
corner of a creature card is its toughness. See rule 208, “Power/Toughness.”
A creature that’s been dealt damage greater than or equal to its toughness (and greater than 0) has been
dealt lethal damage and is destroyed. This is a state-based effect; see rule 420.
Some creature cards have toughness represented by * instead of a number. The object has a
characteristic-defining ability that sets its toughness according to some stated condition. This ability
functions in all zones.
A noncreature permanent has no toughness, even if it’s a card with a toughness printed on it (such as a
Licid that’s become an Aura).
Tournament
A tournament is an organized event where players compete against other players to win prizes. See the
Tournament Locator on the MagicTheGathering.com Tournament Center page
(www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom/tournamentcenter) to find tournaments in your area.
Trample
Trample is a static ability modifying the combat damage step of the combat phase. It lets an attacking
creature “trample over” blocking creatures and assign part of its combat damage to the player or
planeswalker it’s attacking. See rule 502.9, “Trample.”
Transfigure
Transfigure is an activated ability. “Transfigure [cost]” means “[Cost], Sacrifice this permanent: Search
your library for a creature card with the same converted mana cost as this permanent and put it into play.
Then shuffle your library. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery” See rule 502.71,
“Transfigure.”
Transmute
Transmute is an activated ability that functions only while the card with transmute is in a player’s hand.
“Transmute [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Search your library for a card with the same
converted mana cost as the discarded card, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your
library. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.” See rule 502.48, “Transmute.”
Tribal
Tribal is a card type. Each tribal card has another card type. Playing and resolving a tribal card follows the
rules for playing and resolving a card of the other card type. The set of tribal subtypes is the same as the set
of creature subtypes; these subtypes are called creature types. See Creature Types and rule 212.8,
“Tribals.”
Trigger, Triggered Ability
A triggered ability begins with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” Whenever the trigger event occurs,
the ability goes on top of the stack the next time a player would receive priority. See rule 404, “Triggered
Abilities.”
Trigger Condition
A triggered ability begins with the word “when,” “whenever,” or “at.” The phrase containing one of these
words is the trigger condition, which defines the trigger event. See rule 404, “Triggered Abilities.”
Turn Marker
The Grand Melee multiplayer variant allows multiple players to take turns at the same time. Moving turn
markers keep track of which players are currently taking turns. Each turn marker represents both an active
player’s turn and an individual stack. See rule 608, “Grand Melee Variant.”
Two-Headed Giant
The Two-Headed Giant variant has two unique features. Each two-player team has a shared life total,
which starts at 30 life, and each team has takes turns rather than each player. Each team’s creatures also
attack the other team rather than individual players. The additional rules for the Two-Headed Giant variant
explain how the timing of team turns works. See rule 606, “Two-Headed Giant Variant.”
Type
The word “type” has two meanings:
1. The “type” of an object is its card type or, more broadly, its card type, subtype, and/or supertype.
Cards, tokens, permanents, and spells all have types. Abilities don’t have types. See rule 205, “Type Line,”
and rule 212, “Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype.”
2. The “type” of mana is its color, or lack thereof (for colorless mana). See also Mana.
Type Line
The card type (and subtype and supertype, if applicable) of a card is printed directly below the illustration.
See rule 205, “Type Line,” and rule 212, “Card Type, Supertype, and Subtype.”
Type-Changing Effect
A type-changing effect is an effect that changes the card type, subtype, and/or supertype of an object. It’s
generated by a type-changing ability. See rule 418.5a.
Typecycling
“Typecycling” is a generic term; a card’s rules text usually names a specific subtype, such as
“plainscycling.”
Typecycling is an activated ability. “Plainscycling [cost]” means “[Cost], Discard this card: Search your
library for a Plains card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.” See rule 502.18,
“Cycling.”
Unattach
An Aura, Equipment, or Fortification becomes unattached if it was attached to an object or player and then
is not. If an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification leaves play while attached to an object, it becomes
unattached. If a permanent leaves play (unless it phases out) while an Aura, Equipment, or Fortification is
attached to it, the Aura, Equipment, or Fortification becomes unattached.
Unblockable
If an attacking creature “is unblockable,” no creature can legally block it. Spells or abilities may still cause
it to become blocked.
Unblocked
A creature is unblocked if it’s attacking and no creature blocked it during the declare blockers step of the
current combat phase. It remains an unblocked creature until an effect causes it to become blocked, it’s
removed from combat, it stops being a creature, its controller changes, or the combat phase ends.
Unblocked creatures don’t exist outside of the combat phase or before the declare blockers step. See rule
309, “Declare Blockers Step.”
Universal Tournament Rules
The DCI Universal Tournament Rules (www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dci/doccenter/home) cover
tournament play for all DCI-sanctioned games, including the Magic game.
Unless
Some cards use the phrase “[Do something] unless you [do something else].” This means the same thing as
“You may [do something else]. If you don’t, [do something].”
Untap
To untap a tapped card, rotate it back to the upright position. See also Tap, Tapped, and Untapped.
Untap Step
The untap step is the first step of the beginning phase. All permanents controlled by the active player
normally untap at this time. See rule 302, “Untap Step.”
Untapped
A permanent that’s upright is untapped. Tapping permanents shows that they’ve been used. Permanents
untap during their controllers’ untap steps. See also Tap, Tapped, and Untap.
Upkeep Step
The upkeep step is the second step of the beginning phase. Some cards have abilities that trigger at the
beginning of the upkeep step; such an ability is informally called an “upkeep cost” or an “upkeep effect.”
An upkeep cost is usually written in the form “At the beginning of your upkeep, you may [pay cost]. If you
don’t, sacrifice [this card].” These are normal triggered abilities—there are no special rules for them. See
rule 303, “Upkeep Step.”
Vanguard and Avatars
The Vanguard™ supplements consist of oversized placards and Magic Online® avatars that modify the
game. A Vanguard placard or avatar is selected before the game begins, adjusting a player’s starting and
maximum hand size and starting life total. A Vanguard placard or avatar has no color or types, and it can’t
be affected by spells or abilities.
Vanishing
Vanishing is a keyword that represents three abilities. “Vanishing N” means “This permanent comes into
play with N time counters on it,” “At the beginning of your upkeep, if this permanent has a time counter on
it, remove a time counter from it,” and “When the last time counter is removed from this permanent,
sacrifice it.” See rule 502.60, “Vanishing.”
Vigilance
Vigilance is a static ability that modifies the rules for the declare attackers step. Attacking doesn’t cause
creatures with vigilance to tap. See rule 502.14, “Vigilance.”
Wall
Wall is a creature type with no particular rules meaning. Many older cards with the Wall creature type have
received errata so that they also have the defender ability. Many older cards that referred to the Wall
creature type also have errata. Updated wordings for all cards are available in the Oracle card reference.
Win the Game
A game immediately ends when a player wins. See rule 102, “Winning and Losing.”
Wizardcycling See Typecycling.
World
World is a supertype that normally applies to enchantments.
If two or more permanents have the supertype world, all except the one that has been a permanent with
the world supertype for the shortest amount of time are put into their owners’ graveyards. In the event of a
tie for the shortest amount of time, all are put into their owners’ graveyards. This “world rule” is a state-
based effect. See rule 420.5.
If a world permanent’s card types or subtypes change, this doesn’t change its supertypes. The permanent
will still be a world permanent.
X
If a spell or activated ability has a cost with an “{X}” in it, the value of X must be announced as part of
playing the spell or ability. (See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”) While the spell or
ability is on the stack, the {X} in its mana cost equals the amount announced as part of playing the spell or
ability. If a card in any other zone has {X} in its mana cost, the amount is treated as 0. If you’re playing a
spell that has {X} in its mana cost and an effect lets you play it without paying any cost that includes X, the
only legal choice for X is 0. This does not apply to effects that only reduce a cost, even if they reduce it to
zero. See rule 409, “Playing Spells and Activated Abilities.”
If a cost associated with a special action, such as a suspend cost or a morph cost, has an “{X}” in it, the
value of X is chosen by the player taking the special action as he or she pays that cost.
In other cases, X is defined by the text of a spell or ability. Note that the value of X may change while
that spell or ability is on the stack. If X isn’t defined, the controller of the spell or ability chooses the value
of X. All Xs on an object have the same value.
Y
See X.
You, Your
The words “you” and “your” on an object refer to the object’s controller, its would-be controller (if a player
is attempting to play it), or its owner (if it has no controller). For a static ability, this is the current
controller of the object it’s on. For an activated ability, this is the player who played the ability. For a
triggered ability, this is the controller of the object when the ability triggered, unless it’s a delayed triggered
ability. For a delayed triggered ability, this is the controller of the spell or ability that created it. See also
Controller, Owner.
Zone
A zone is any place that Magic cards can be during a game. See rule 217, “Zones.”
Zone-Change Triggers
Trigger events that involve objects changing zones are called “zone-change triggers.” Many abilities with
zone-change triggers attempt to do something to that object after it changes zones. During resolution, these
abilities look for the object in the zone that it moved to. If the object is unable to be found in the zone it
went to, the part of the ability attempting to do something to the object will fail to do anything. The most
common types of zone-change triggers are comes-into-play triggers and leaves-play triggers. See rule
410.10.
Credits
Magic: The Gathering Original Game Design: Richard Garfield
Comprehensive Rules Design and Development: Paul Barclay, Beth Moursund, and Bill Rose, with
contributions from Charlie Catiyes, John Carter, Elaine Chase, Laurie Cheers, Stephen D’Angelo, Dave
DeLaney, Brady Dommermuth, Mike Donais, Skaff Elias, Mike Elliott, Richard Garfield, Mark L.
Gottlieb, Dan Gray, Robert Gutschera, Collin Jackson, William Jockusch, Jeff Jordan, Yonemura Kaoru,
Russell Linnemann, Jim Lin, Steve Lord, Sheldon Menery, Michael Phoenix, Mark Rosewater, David
Sachs, Lee Sharpe, Henry Stern, Ingo Warnke, Tom Wylie, Donald X. Vaccarino, and Bryan Zembruski
Editing: Del Laugel
Magic Rules Manager: Mark L. Gottlieb
The Magic: The Gathering game was designed by Richard Garfield, with contributions from Charlie
Catiyes, Skaff Elias, Don Felice, Tom Fontaine, Jim Lin, Joel Mick, Chris Page, Dave Pettey, Barry “Bit”
Reich, Bill Rose, and Elliott Segal. The mana symbols were designed by Christopher Rush.
Thanks to all our project team members and the many others too numerous to mention who have
contributed to this product.
These rules are current as of October 1, 2007.
Published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc., P.O. Box 707, Renton WA 98057-0707, U.S.A. Wizards of the
Coast, Magic: The Gathering, Magic, Magic Online, DCI, Oracle, Vanguard, Exodus, Portal Three
Kingdoms, Odyssey, Ravnica, Time Spiral, Future Sight, and Lorwyn are trademarks of Wizards of the
Coast, Inc. in the U.S.A. and other countries. ©1993–2007 Wizards. U.S. Pat. No. RE 37,957.
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